UAE diplomat running for UN chief faces questions over her country’s support for Sudan rebels
Her bid has revived a stalled race and drawn criticism over alleged UAE support for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, which UN monitors call credible.
- On Wednesday, the United Arab Emirates nominated foreign ministry official Lana Nusseibeh to run for UN Secretary-General, entering a race struggling to produce consensus among the 15-member Security Council.
- Informal straw polls held last week left the race deadlocked after all six existing candidates received multiple vetoes from the five permanent Security Council members, preventing any clear front-runner from emerging.
- Nusseibeh, 48, served as UAE ambassador from 2013 to 2024, where she championed "creative entrepreneurial diplomacy" and secured Resolution 2720 paving the way for humanitarian aid to Gaza.
- Her candidacy faces scrutiny over the UAE's alleged military support for Sudan's Rapid Support Forces, which Abu Dhabi denies, and potential tensions with the Trump administration.
- Incumbent Antonio Guterres of Portugal ends his second term on December 31, 2026; candidates must secure nine votes from the 15-member Security Council while avoiding vetoes from the five permanent members.
119 Articles
119 Articles
Cyprus throws weight behind UAE’s Nusseibeh for UN secretary-general
Cyprus has offered its support to the United Arab Emirates’ Lana Nusseibeh’s candidacy to become the next United Nations secretary-general at the beginning of next year, with Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos describing her as an “experienced, highly effective, and well-respected diplomat”. He added that she has an “approach focusing on dialogue, compromise, and tangible outcomes, […]
UN chief race enters decisive phase as new contender arrives
UAE’s star diplomat Lana Nusseibeh has entered the race for the UN secretary-general position, challenging front-runner Rebeca Grynspan at a decisive time for the global organisation's future. The UN chief race could now lead to the first ever female secretary-general.
My Mother Lode
The Seattle TimesUAE diplomat running for UN chief faces questions over her country’s support for Sudan rebels
JERUSALEM (AP) — A female diplomat from the United Arab Emirates is the newest contender for the role of United Nations secretary-general. Lana Nusseibeh brings Palestinian roots and defense of the UAE’s historic relations with Israel to her candidacy, but she faces sharp criticism over her country’s alleged role in backing paramilitary fighters who have...
Rebecca Grynspan continues to lead votes, but Lana Nusseibeh emerges as a new candidate. Read who she is.
Associated Press News
UAE diplomat running for UN chief faces questions over her country's support for Sudan rebels
Lana Nusseibeh, a diplomat from the United Arab Emirates, is the newest contender for United Nations secretary-general.
In the delicate search for a successor to UN leader Guterres, no one has yet asserted herself as a favorite. Now the UAE is astonished with a suddenly presented candidate.
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