Macky Sall among candidates for UN Secretary-General as Security Council holds indicative vote

Among the eight candidates is former Senegalese President Macky Sall, 64. During the closed-door session, the 15 Council members anonymously assign each candidate one of three ratings: "encourage," "discourage," or "no opinion." This process aims to prompt less-supported candidates to withdraw.

In the initial vote on July 30, Rebeca Grynspan, former Vice President of Costa Rica and current Secretary-General of UNCTAD, led the field. Macky Sall is the only West African candidate, alongside Olara Otunnu from Uganda, and faces strong competition from South American contenders, as the region asserts its claim to the position based on geographical rotation. Additionally, several member states advocate for a woman to lead the organization for the first time.

Other candidates include Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett Guyana, Rafael Grossi IAEA, Michelle Bachelet former Chilean President, María Fernanda Espinosa Ecuador, and Ivonne A-Baki Ecuador. To win, a candidate must secure at least nine favorable votes without a veto from any of the five permanent members—the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom—before their name is submitted to the General Assembly. The positions of the major powers remain unclear, and Russia has indicated that new candidacies could emerge if the process faces prol