{
  "id": 16494164,
  "title": "UAE diplomat Lana Nusseibeh a frontrunner for UN's top job",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/uae-diplomat-lana-nusseibeh-a-frontrunner-for-uns-top-job",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-25T16:04:31.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2026/10/1563472/uae-diplomat-lana-nusseibeh-frontrunner-uns-top-job"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Emirati diplomat Lana Nusseibeh, of Palestinian descent, has emerged as a leading contender for the prestigious position of United Nations Secretary-General. Nusseibeh, 48, has campaigned on a reformist platform, promising to prioritize peace and human rights. If elected, she would become the first woman and second Arab to hold the top UN post, a significant achievement for the United Arab Emirates, which has been under Iranian pressure in recent years.\n\nNusseibeh, who stepped down from her role as state minister at the foreign ministry and UN envoy to the EU in 2024, brings a wealth of diplomatic experience to the table. She served as the UAE's permanent representative to the UN from 2013 to 2024, making history as the first woman to hold the position.\n\nDespite her strong credentials, Nusseibeh's campaign has not been without controversy. She faces criticism over the UAE's normalization of relations with Israel in 2020, as well as allegations that Abu Dhabi played a role in Sudan's ongoing conflict. The UAE has denied these accusations, stating that they are mere media allegations.\n\nNusseibeh's nomination has sparked debate about the UN's traditional practice of rotating the top job among different regions. While some argue that a candidate from Latin America should be chosen, the United States ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz has urged the focus to be on selecting the best candidate, regardless of region or gender.\n\nIn a recent informal straw poll within the UN Security Council, Nusseibeh's candidacy received a virtual veto from all seven members, with each candidate facing at least two vetoes. The UN's top job remains a highly contested position, with no candidate free from criticism.",
  "summary": "AN Emirati official with Palestinian roots, Lana Nusseibeh has emerged as a late frontrunner in the race to lead the United Nations, campaigning on a reformist agenda and vowing to work for peace.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "GCC unanimously backs UAE's Lana Nusseibeh for UN secretary-general",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/gcc-unanimously-backs-uaes-lana-nusseibeh-for-un-secretary-general",
        "published": "2026-10-24T12:35:55.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}