Q COSTARICA — The race for Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) is heating up, and Costa Rica is reaching out to a wide range of allies to advance the nomination of its own, Rebeca Grynspan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it is taking advantage of various meetings to seek support for the Costa Rican candidate.
Among the most recent meetings was the Antalya Forum, a global diplomacy event held in Turkey.
There, high-level discussions took place with nations such as Portugal, Singapore, Montenegro, and Kyrgyzstan. Before foreign ministers, cabinet ministers, and presidential envoys, Costa Rica presented Grynspan’s candidacy in search of support.
4 Candidates in the running
After months of speculation and maneuvering, the field for UN Secretary-General is now set with four candidates.
In addition to Rebeca Grynspan, the list of contenders includes former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi and former Senegalese President Macky Sall.
As part of the process, a public presentation forum is underway. Grynspan is expected to give her presentation today, Wednesday, April 22.
Each candidate has two hours to present their strategy for the UN. They will engage in dialogue with member states and civil society in New York.
The change of leadership at the UN will take place on January 1, 2027.
This will result from the final election, expected in September at the organization’s General Assembly. However, the crucial point will be mid-year, when the candidates face scrutiny by the Security Council, where 15 countries will issue the final recommendation. Nine votes are required for this.
First, there are the five permanent members. Then there are the non-permanent members. For the upcoming election, some member countries are yet to be determined, while the following already have a seat secured:
- Latvia
- Greece
- Colombia
- Pakistan
- Panama
- Bahrain
- Liberia
- Somalia
In total, at least nine votes must be cast, which will constitute the final recommendation for the General Assembly to appoint the next UN leader.
Is it Latin America’s turn to become UN Secretary-General?
The next election for UN Secretary-General will take place throughout the year. The term of the current Secretary-General, António Guterres of Portugal, will expire at the end of the year.
According to the non-mandatory rotation system, Latin America would be next in line for the position. Therefore, most nominations come from this region.
In the UN’s 80-year history, the only representative from the region has been the Peruvian Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, who left that position in 1992.
Since then, the Secretary-General’s office has been held by representatives from Africa, Asia, and Europe.