Former Senegalese president Macky Sall has officially joined the race to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, after being nominated by Burundi. The UN confirmed Monday that Sall, who led Senegal from 2012 to 2024, is among the candidates seeking to succeed Antonio Guterres. Guterres’ second five-year term ends on 31 December 2026, with the new Secretary-General set to take office on 1 January 2027.
Sall’s candidacy adds a high-profile African figure to an increasingly competitive field. During his presidency, he oversaw major infrastructure projects and energy sector expansion, but his tenure was also marked by political unrest and criticism over fiscal transparency. After leaving office, his government faced accusations that it had understated the scale of public debt and budget deficits claims that fueled domestic debate. He joins two other formally declared candidates: former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet and Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi, who heads the International Atomic Energy Agency. Costa Rica has also proposed former vice president Rebeca Grynspan, though her formal nomination letter has yet to be submitted.
Under an informal regional rotation system, the post was widely expected to go to Eastern Europe in 2016. However, Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister, was selected instead. By that logic, some diplomats argue Latin America could be next in line, though the process is not legally binding. The UN Security Council is expected to begin the selection process by the end of July. Candidates will undergo informal dialogues and closed-door straw polls before the Council recommends one name to the General Assembly for approval. This election also comes amid renewed calls from member states and civil society groups for the UN to appoint its first female Secretary-General in the organization’s 80-year history.
