Rights groups reject Emirati diplomat for UN top job

Several human rights groups on Tuesday urged United Nations members to reject the candidacy of Emirati diplomat Lana Nusseibeh for the position of secretary-general. Nusseibeh, a former ambassador to the UN and current minister of state at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was formally nominated last week to succeed Antonio Guterres. While she has received backing from Gulf states, she faces scrutiny regarding the UAE's normalization with Israel and its alleged involvement in the conflict in Sudan.

Middle East Eye reports that rights groups deem Nusseibeh too dangerous to the international order, alleging she has spent three years denying her country's role in propping up what has been termed a genocide in Sudan. The outlet notes the UAE has been accused of supporting the breakaway paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Al-Monitor adds that the 48-year-old candidate is vying to become the first woman and only the second Arab to hold the UN's top post.

Brief written by urgent.news from Al-Monitor, Middle East Eye — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.