Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan faces a new challenge in her campaign to become the next United Nations secretary-general after a senior diplomat from the United Arab Emirates entered the race today, adding another contender to an already divided contest. Lana Nusseibeh, a 48-year-old UAE minister of state and former ambassador to the United Nations, announced her candidacy as the Security Council struggles to agree on a successor to António Guterres, whose term ends December 31.
Her entry comes at a difficult moment for Grynspan. The former Costa Rican vice president continues to lead the informal voting, but two of the five countries with the power to block the appointment have signaled opposition to her candidacy. In the October 16 vote, Grynspan received nine votes in favor, five against and one expressing no opinion. Two of the opposing votes came from permanent Security Council members, although the countries involved have not been officially identified.
The result left Grynspan ahead of her closest competitors, Argentina’s Rafael Grossi and Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who each received eight supporting votes. However, neither Grynspan nor her rivals secured the agreement needed to move forward. The Security Council’s five permanent members, the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom, can each block a candidate. A successful candidate needs at least nine votes from the 15-member council without opposition from any of those five countries.
The October 16 vote was informal, meaning the opposing ballots were not actual vetoes. They nevertheless revealed that Grynspan faces resistance from two powerful governments before a final decision can be reached. Nusseibeh’s arrival gives Security Council members another candidate to consider as diplomatic negotiations continue.
The Emirati diplomat served as her country’s ambassador to the United Nations from 2013 until 2024 and has extensive experience working with the Security Council. She helped negotiate a resolution in December 2023 intended to increase humanitarian aid entering Gaza. In announcing her candidacy Wednesday, Nusseibeh called for a United Nations that takes a more active role in resolving international conflicts rather than simply responding to them.
She said several countries had encouraged her to consider running during the recent UN General Assembly meetings. She has also taken leave from her government position to pursue the job. Her candidacy adds a new regional dimension to the contest. Latin American countries have argued that their region should provide the next secretary-general, while there has also been a growing push for a woman to lead the organization for the first time in its history.
Nusseibeh would satisfy the call for a female secretary-general but would represent the Middle East rather than Latin America. Her entry does not mean she has secured the backing of any Security Council member. No voting results for her candidacy have been reported. For Costa Rica, the development comes as President Laura Fernández increases her involvement in Grynspan’s campaign.
Fernández met with Grynspan at Casa Presidencial on Monday, reaffirming the government’s support and announcing plans to contact other Latin American leaders to seek additional backing. Grynspan has maintained that her campaign remains active despite the opposition revealed in last week’s vote. She has emphasized that the Security Council has not held a formal vote and that countries can still change their positions.
The Costa Rican economist, who previously served as the head of the UN Conference on Trade and Development, has proposed changes to make the organization more efficient, reduce overlapping responsibilities and strengthen its ability to respond to international crises. She served as Costa Rica’s vice president from 1994 to 1998 and has spent much of her subsequent career in international diplomacy.
If selected, Grynspan would become the first Costa Rican and the first woman to lead the United Nations. The Security Council is discussing whether to hold another informal vote on Friday or postpone it while negotiations continue. No date for the next round has been confirmed.
Once the Security Council agrees on a candidate, the UN General Assembly must formally appoint the new secretary-general. For now, Grynspan retains the most support recorded in the latest informal vote, but Nusseibeh’s entry adds another possibility for governments still searching for an acceptable candidate.
With fewer than three months remaining before Guterres leaves office, the Security Council has yet to agree on who should lead the United Nations beginning January 1, 2027.
