The race to succeed António Guterres as United Nations secretary-general is unfolding at a critical moment for the organisation and the international system it represents.
The 81st UN General Assembly, which concludes on Monday, has highlighted the deep divisions shaping global politics. Images from New York, including a meeting between Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez and US President Donald Trump, as well as the walkout by numerous delegates during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address, reflected the tensions surrounding the current international order.
Guterres used his final General Assembly appearance after a decade as secretary-general to warn that global divisions were widening. “The cracks of the world have become canyons,” he said, underlining the scale of the challenges facing the organisation.
The UN is confronting conflicts in Ukraine, Sudan, Iran and Gaza, while also facing financial pressure, including uncertainty over US contributions. At the same time, the organisation’s ability to respond effectively to major international crises has come under growing scrutiny.
A contested selection process
The selection of the next secretary-general has long been criticised for its lack of transparency. The process ultimately depends on the UN Security Council, where the five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the UK and the US — hold veto power before the General Assembly formally appoints the secretary-general.
Seven candidates are currently in the running. Costa Rican Rebeca Grynspan is among the most prominent, having served as secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development and previously led the Ibero-American General Secretariat.
The final outcome remains uncertain, however. The Trump administration has yet to publicly back a candidate, leaving room for additional names to emerge during the process. Guterres’ second term is due to end on December 31.
Pressure for a woman from Latin America
Regional rotation is another factor in the selection. With recent secretary-generals coming from Europe, Asia and Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean are traditionally viewed as the next region in line.
The last Latin American to hold the position was Peru’s Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, who served from 1982 to 1991.
Gender is also central to the debate. The UN has never had a woman as secretary-general, despite decades of efforts to increase women’s representation across the organisation.
A woman taking the top post would mark a significant change at a time when debates over women’s rights remain prominent internationally, from restrictions on girls’ education in Afghanistan to the ongoing political and legal debate over abortion rights in the United States.
Ultimately, the selection is expected to balance several considerations, including diplomatic experience, regional representation, gender and the ability to manage an organisation facing multiple simultaneous crises.
The next secretary-general will inherit a role that combines diplomacy, conflict mediation, peacekeeping oversight, administration and global political leadership — a demanding mandate at a particularly turbulent moment for the international system.
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