Who is Lana Nusseibeh? Meet the UAE’s pick for UN chief

Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, a veteran Emirati diplomat, is the UAE's nominee for the position of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. She was born in Abu Dhabi in 1978 and earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in history from Queens' College, Cambridge, and SOAS, University of London, respectively. Nusseibeh has held various high-ranking positions in the UAE, including serving as the UAE's permanent representative to the UN and presiding over the Security Council during the UAE's 2022-2023 term. She is also the first woman to hold this post.

If selected, Nusseibeh would be the first woman and the first Gulf national to lead the United Nations. Her platform emphasizes preventive diplomacy, practical "first agreements," and ensuring accountability in Sudan. She also proposes establishing a mediation board during her first year in office and increasing the UN's presence in Geneva and the Global South.

During an interactive dialogue with the UN General Assembly, Nusseibeh outlined her vision for a renewed UN that is more responsive to young people and respects the Charter, while restoring trust through tangible results.