Uganda has officially nominated veteran diplomat Olara Otunnu as its candidate for the position of United Nations secretary-general, making him the seventh contender in the race to succeed António Guterres when his second term ends on December 31, 2026. The nomination, announced by Kampala on Friday, adds one of Africa’s most experienced diplomats to the list of candidates seeking to lead the 193-member global organization from January 1, 2027. Otunnu, 75, previously served as the UN under-secretary-general and the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict. He has also represented Uganda as its permanent representative to the United Nations and briefly served as the country’s foreign minister.
In addition to his diplomatic career, he was once an opposition presidential candidate in Uganda. He is currently the oldest candidate in the race, joining contenders from Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, Costa Rica, Guyana, and former Senegalese President Macky Sall. Six of the seven candidates, including four women, participated in the first televised informal dialogue with UN member states on Thursday. Otunnu’s late entry means he did not take part in that session.
The selection process now moves to the 15-member UN Security Council, which is expected to hold its first confidential “straw poll” later this month. During the process, council members will cast anonymous votes to gauge support for each candidate. To secure the nomination, a candidate must receive at least nine votes from the Security Council without facing a veto from any of its five permanent members, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, France, and Russia. Once a consensus candidate emerges, the Security Council will recommend the nominee to the UN General Assembly for formal appointment. The successful candidate will assume office on January 1, 2027, becoming the next secretary-general of the United Nations.
