📢Breaking: The race for the next UN Secretary-General has a late entrant The new nominee for UN's top job is from Africa, despite the fact that under the informal principle of regional rotation, to which the Africa grpup ordinarily attaches importance, the turn for fielding candidates is that of the Caribbean and Latin America group. In a letter addressed to the President of the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council on 24 July, Uganda's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador @adoniaayebare announced Uganda's nomination of Olara Otunnu (see picture) for position of UN Secretary-General. Mr Otunnu's camdidacy will increase the list of candidates to succeed @antonioguterres to seven. As the second candidate from Africa, one of the issues this candidacy raises, like the one of Macky Sall, is whether the importance that African states attache to regional rotation is disappearing. It is worth noting that so far Africa is the only region outside of the Caribbean and Latin America to field candidates. It is to be recalled that the UN General Assembly Town Hall with the candidates was held on 23 July. As a late entrant, he faces a disadvantage of making up for the opporunity that other canfidates had in campaigning. The timing of his entrace into the race comes just before the first UN Secrurity Council Straw Poll scheduled for 30 July 2026. More than anything else, the role of the UNSC is the most decisive aspect of the selection process. It is anticipated that the straw poll by the UNSC offers the first most significant indication on the prospects that candidates have for securing what is at times called 'the most impossible job on earth.'
