Lana Nusseibeh announces candidacy for United Nations Secretary-General

Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE Minister of State and Envoy to the UN and EU, has officially declared her intention to run for the position of United Nations Secretary-General. Her announcement comes after the United Arab Emirates officially nominated her for the role. Nusseibeh's candidacy comes as the Security Council recently conducted a straw poll to choose a successor to current Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term ends on December 31, 2026.

In her announcement, Nusseibeh emphasized her long-standing experience working in and around the United Nations, where she witnessed how diplomacy can bring nations with profound differences together. However, she also highlighted the consequences of diplomacy falling short when the gap between promises and delivery widens, leading to a loss of trust and diminished ability to act.

Nusseibeh stated her candidacy as a call for action, urging for greater urgency to rebuild trust in the UN and ensure it delivers meaningful change for the people it serves.

Nusseibeh's Vision Statement centers on peace and security, proposing that the UN should proactively work towards conflict prevention, diplomacy preservation, and helping divided parties find practical points of agreement. She believes the UN should adopt a more active role in preventing conflicts, maintaining channels for diplomacy, and assisting divided parties in reaching practical agreements.

Her reform program aims to make the UN more efficient, focused, and accountable to better serve the objectives of peace and security, development, and human rights.

In addition to her peace and security agenda, Nusseibeh also emphasizes the need for the UN to reform in order to achieve more effective outcomes across its three pillars: peace and security, development, and human rights. She suggests that the organization should have clearer priorities, stronger leadership with the necessary resources, reduced duplication, and greater accountability for results.

Furthermore, she proposes empowering field personnel to take action and deliver results, ensuring that the selection of senior leadership reflects the world it serves and adheres to the principles upheld by the UN.