Dubai, UAE- The United Arab Emirates has formally nominated Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, UAE Diplomat, Minister of State and Assistant Minister for Political Affairs, for the position of Secretary General of the United Nations. Her nomination on 21 October 2026 has brought the UAE into the international spotlight as the organisation prepares to choose its next leader, who will take office in January 2027. The current Secretary General, António Guterres, completes his second term on 31 December 2026.
Lana Nusseibeh is not new to international diplomacy. She served as the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2013 to 2024 and has worked on peace and security, humanitarian assistance, sustainable development, women’s issues and reform of the international system. During the UAE’s elected membership of the Security Council in 2022 and 2023, she twice served as its President. She also served as Vice President of the UN General Assembly and President of the Executive Board of UN Women.
Her nomination comes at a time when the United Nations is facing conflicts, humanitarian emergencies, financial pressures and questions about its ability to deliver results. Nusseibeh says the organisation must act earlier to prevent conflicts, bring divided parties together and turn diplomatic discussions into practical outcomes. She has also taken leave from her UAE government position to focus on her candidacy and says she would serve the international office independently
“I am standing to be Secretary-General because I believe this is a moment to act with greater urgency: to act earlier, bring people together across difference, and drive the work forward until it produces concrete results”, Lana Nusseibeh told the Emirates News Agency (WAM)
If elected, she would make history as the first woman to lead the United Nations and the first person from the Gulf region to hold the position. For the UAE, her appointment would mark a major diplomatic milestone and bring greater international attention to its experience in multilateral diplomacy. However, the Secretary General must serve the United Nations and all its member states, rather than represent the interests of one country.
The other candidates include Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett of Guyana, María Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Ivonne A Baki of Ecuador and Olara Otunnu of Uganda. Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and former Senegalese President Macky Sall have withdrawn from the contest. The field may change as the selection process continues.
Nusseibeh’s published vision places peace and security at the centre of her programme. She wants the UN to strengthen preventive diplomacy, secure humanitarian access, support prisoner exchanges and local truces, and help create conditions for lasting political settlements. She also proposes reducing duplication, improving accountability, directing resources towards work on the ground and measuring programmes against their cost and results.
“I think it would be great if the next secretary-general was a woman but I’m not running because I’m a woman; I’m running because I am stubbornly optimistic about the future of the United Nations and I believe we need someone who is relentless in the pursuit of diplomacy to open doors.”- SOURCE: INVESTING.COM
Her development priorities include creating jobs, supporting countries facing conflict and financial difficulties, and building partnerships with governments, businesses and philanthropic organisations. She also calls for stronger international cooperation on human rights, climate resilience, artificial intelligence and biotechnology. These are stated proposals in her vision, not guaranteed outcomes.
The United Nations was established on 24 October 1945, after the Second World War, to promote international peace, security and cooperation. It began with 51 member states and now has 193. Since 1946, nine Secretaries General have served the organisation: Trygve Lie, Dag Hammarskjöld, U Thant, Kurt Waldheim, Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, Boutros Boutros Ghali, Kofi Annan, Ban Ki moon and António Guterres. If appointed, Nusseibeh would become the tenth Secretary General in the UN’s history.
The final decision rests with the UN Security Council, which recommends a candidate for appointment by the General Assembly. The five permanent Security Council members have veto power, making broad international support essential. Nusseibeh’s candidacy is therefore not only a significant moment for the UAE but also part of a wider debate about the future leadership, credibility and effectiveness of the United Nations.
This article is based on publicly available information and published statements. The views and proposals attributed to Lana Nusseibeh reflect her stated positions and do not imply guaranteed outcomes.
