UAE candidate to head UN finishes fourth in first Security Council straw poll

The UAE's Lana Nusseibeh, a seasoned diplomat serving the country's UN mission for over a decade, secured fourth place in the initial Security Council straw poll for the position of UN Secretary-General. Nusseibeh, nominated by Abu Dhabi on October 21, received seven encouraging votes, six discouraging votes, and two abstentions from the 15-member Security Council.

The outcome of the poll comes as the Security Council approaches the final stages in selecting the successor to outgoing Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose second term ends on December 31. The poll's results remain ambiguous as permanent members (P5) of the Security Council - the United States, Britain, France, China, and Russia - have not publicly disclosed their voting positions.

To be recommended to the General Assembly for the top UN post, a candidate must garner at least nine favorable votes and maintain a veto-free status from any P5 power. Nusseibeh's candidacy has sparked controversy, with human rights organizations and civil society groups raising concerns about her potential conflicts of interest, citing her past defense of the UAE's actions in Sudan's civil war.