Khaberni - Attention at the United Nations turns to who will succeed Antonio Guterres as Secretary-General, with the final name expected to be announced within a year, particularly during the "High-Level Week" of the General Assembly this year, shedding more light on the crisis situation at the UN.
Although it is still early; the final name will not be known for another year, campaigns have already begun, amid new rules adopted by the General Assembly to enhance transparency and reduce conflicts of interest.
According to an informal understanding about regional rotation, this time it is Latin America's turn, amidst increasing discussion about the necessity for a woman to hold this position for the first time, as confirmed by a source in the United Nations.
The new rules were adopted in the "Reinvigorating" report, where the process will be jointly managed between the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council, with the launching of a unified website that includes candidate information.
The nomination process is scheduled to open in the last quarter of 2025, whereby candidates will submit their CVs, vision statements, and funding sources, with the possibility of updating this information during the campaign.
The rules also recommend that candidates who hold positions within the UN system should temporarily suspend their jobs to limit conflicts of interest, while the General Assembly will organize online sessions to introduce the candidates.
The new Secretary-General will be inaugurated in the last quarter of 2026, with a clear invitation for member states to seriously consider nominating women.
* Among the officially announced names is Michelle Bachelet, the former President of Chile and former High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Bachelet is a pediatrician and public health specialist, who served as the President of Chile for two terms (2006-2010 and 2014-2018), and was the first woman to hold this position in her country.
She also served as the first Executive Director of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women before being appointed High Commissioner for Human Rights between 2018 and 2022, which gives her extensive experience that combines national political work and international diplomacy.
* David Choquehuanca, Vice President of Bolivia since 2020, is a veteran politician belonging to the Movement for Socialism and served previously as the Minister of Foreign Affairs (2006-2017) under President Evo Morales.
He is known for defending the rights of indigenous peoples and regional integration in Latin America and is considered one of the most prominent intellectual and political figures in Bolivia. His long experience in foreign policy makes him a prominent candidate capable of addressing issues of the global south within the United Nations.
* Rafael Grossi, the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency since 2019, represents Argentina and is a seasoned diplomat in the fields of nuclear security and non-proliferation.
He has led the International Agency during a critical phase coinciding with escalating tensions around the Iranian nuclear program and the war in Ukraine, enhancing the agency's role as an effective regulatory body on peaceful nuclear energy.
Grossi has also served as his country's ambassador to the international agencies in Vienna, and was among the figures who contributed to files on nuclear disarmament and multilateral treaty negotiations.
Alongside these, media speculation revolves around other possible names such as Alicia Barcena from Mexico, Rebeca Grynspan from Costa Rica, Mia Mottley from Barbados, and Achim Steiner who holds both Brazilian and German nationalities.
