Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett leads UN Secretary-General straw poll, Macky Sall trails
via SeneNews2 min read
Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana's Permanent Representative to the UN, has emerged as the preferred candidate for UN Secretary-General, securing 46% favorable opinions in a "Town Hall" event held on July 23 at UN headquarters in New York. The event, organized in partnership with Bloomberg, allowed member states, civil society organizations, and UN personnel to assess the visions of the six candidates vying to succeed Ant贸nio Guterres. Rodrigues-Birkett, a 52-year-old former Foreign Minister of Guyana, also delivered the most convincing presentation, garnering 49% in that category. Other candidates include Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile, with 14%; Rebeca Grynspan, current Secretary-General of UNCTAD, with 13%; Mar铆a Fernanda Espinosa, former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister, with 10%; Macky Sall, former President of Senegal, with 9%; and Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, with 8%. Macky Sall, the sole African candidate, supported by the African Union and officially by Dakar, is significantly behind. This poll is informal and non-binding, and the Security Council will conduct indicative secret ballot votes, requiring at least nine favorable votes without a veto from any of the five permanent members, before a name is forwarded to the General Assembly for formal appointment. Ant贸nio Guterres's term ends on December 31, 2026, with the successor taking office on January 1, 2027. While not definitive, the results are seen as a setba
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Idrissa Fall, a Senegalese journalist and former editor-in-chief of the French service of the Voice of America VOA, has passed away. Fall dedicated nearly thirty years to covering major conflicts and political upheavals across Africa, beginning his tenure at VOA in 1992. He gained recognition as one of the most respected African correspondents of his generation. His extensive coverage included civil wars in Congo-Brazzaville and Gabon, crises and coups in Niger, rebellions in C么te d'Ivoire and the fall of President Laurent Gbagbo, rebellions in Burundi, and the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Fall achieved several journalistic firsts, such as being the first foreign reporter to enter Gao, Mali, in 2012, while it was under Mujao control. In 1996, he was also the first journalist to access rebel-controlled areas in eastern Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he revealed the existence of Laurent-D茅sir茅 Kabila. In 2013, he narrowly escaped death while covering clashes in the Central African Republic. His rigorous and courageous work earned him the "David Burke Distinguished Journalism Award" from the VOA board of directors.
Vozinha, the Cape Verdean goalkeeper and a standout player at the recent World Cup, is set to join Chilean club Colo Colo. The club's president, Anibal Mosa, announced that Vozinha will arrive in Chile in the coming days for medical examinations before his official presentation at the Monumental Stadium. Vozinha, whose real name is Josimar Jos茅 Evora Dias, gained significant attention for his heroic performances at 40 years old, particularly in a 0-0 draw against eventual champions Spain during the group stage. He led the Cape Verdean national team to the round of 16, where they took finalists Argentina to extra time in a 3-2 loss. Vozinha has previously played in Cyprus, Slovakia, Moldova, and Angola, signing his first professional contract at age 26. He will be transferring to Colo Colo from GD Chaves, a team in the Portuguese second division. Mosa noted Vozinha's excellent physical condition as a key factor in his recruitment. His World Cup performances, amplified by Brazilian influencer Casimiro, boosted his Instagram following from 50,000 to nearly 30 million in a few weeks.
Must ReadPastef-Les Patriotes is experiencing an internal crisis marked by a series of resignations from national executives, leaders of the Senegalese Patriotic Youth JPS, and local elected officials. This wave of defections, which accelerated significantly on July 22, 2026, occurs amidst an open rift between President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the President of the National Assembly and party leader Ousmane Sonko. President Faye is expected to announce the creation of his own political party on July 25. Prominent national figures have departed, including Dr. El Hadji Mansour Diop, Director General of Aristide Le Dantec Hospital, who resigned on July 22, 2026, citing internal abuses, censorship, and a lack of recognition for activists. Other strategic leaders who have resigned include Khouraichi Thiam, Director General of FAISE; Babacar Faye, National Secretary for Electoral Operations; Fatou Kin茅 Diakhat茅, former MONCAP coordinator; and Cheikh Saad-Bouh Diouf, National Coordinator of the Movement of Handicapped Patriots. Dr. Lansana Gagny Sakho, Chairman of the Board of Apix, has also publicly supported the head of state without formally leaving the party. The party's youth structure, JPS, is a focal point of internal dissent, with resignations from Bakary Bass Sakho, National Executive Bureau member, and Ousmane Sonko Jr, National Vice-Coordinator. Territorial coordinations have also seen departures, including Arabietou Di茅m茅 in Bignona and Baye S猫ne in Niakhar. Local officials acro