The United Nations Launches the Second Phase of the Next Secretary-General Selection Process: Transparency, Inclusiveness, and Global Leadership Become Key Focuses
- Details
- Category: English Media
- Published: Saturday, 13 June 2026 10:41
- Written by Eager
The selection and appointment process for the next Secretary-General of the United Nations has entered a critical stage. According to relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, the 2025–2026 selection process will proceed under the principles of transparency, inclusiveness, and broad participation by Member States.
Procedural Basis: Article 97 of the Charter of the United Nations
The appointment of the United Nations Secretary-General is conducted in accordance with Article 97 of the Charter of the United Nations. Under this provision, the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. This means that the Security Council plays a key role in recommending candidates, while the General Assembly, representing the Member States, completes the formal appointment.
On September 5, 2025, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 79/327 on the revitalization of the work of the General Assembly. Building on previous relevant resolutions, this resolution further improves the process for selecting and appointing the Secretary-General, emphasizing transparency, inclusiveness, public information on candidates, and the importance of interaction with Member States.
How the Selection Process Was Launched
On November 25, 2025, the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council jointly sent a letter to all Member States, formally launching the selection process for the next Secretary-General. The joint letter invited Member States to nominate candidates for Secretary-General and outlined the procedures for candidate nominations, submission of public information, interactive dialogues, and subsequent consideration.
The selection process mainly includes the following steps: the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council issue a joint letter to formally launch the process; candidates are nominated by a Member State or a group of Member States; candidates publicly submit a vision statement, curriculum vitae, and campaign finance disclosure; the President of the General Assembly holds webcast interactive dialogues with all candidates; the Security Council considers the qualifications of the candidates and recommends a candidate to the General Assembly; and the United Nations General Assembly formally appoints the Secretary-General based on the recommendation of the Security Council.
Candidate Nominations
According to information published by the United Nations, the list of candidates for the post of Secretary-General is jointly maintained and regularly updated by the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council. Public information includes each candidate’s name, nominating country, vision statement, curriculum vitae, and campaign finance disclosure.
Michelle Bachelet Jeria
Michelle Bachelet Jeria
Date of nomination: February 2, 2026
Nominating countries: Brazil, Chile, and Mexico
Status: Chile withdrew its nomination of her on March 25, 2026.
María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés
María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés
Date of nomination: May 11, 2026
Nominating country: Antigua and Barbuda
Status: Vision statement, curriculum vitae, and campaign finance disclosure have been submitted.
Virginia Gamba
Virginia Gamba
Date of nomination: March 11, 2026
Nominating country: Maldives
Status: Maldives withdrew its nomination of her on March 25, 2026.
Rafael Mariano Grossi
Rafael Mariano Grossi
Date of nomination: November 26, 2025
Nominating country: Argentina
Status: Vision statement, curriculum vitae, and campaign finance disclosure have been submitted.
Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis
Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis
Date of nomination: March 3, 2026
Nominating country: Costa Rica
Status: Vision statement, curriculum vitae, and campaign finance disclosure have been submitted.
Macky Sall
Macky Sall
Date of nomination: March 2, 2026
Nominating country: Burundi
Status: Vision statement, curriculum vitae, and campaign finance disclosure have been submitted.
Interactive Dialogues with Candidates
According to General Assembly Resolution 79/327, the President of the General Assembly will arrange webcast interactive dialogues with all candidates for Secretary-General. This arrangement requires candidates not only to submit written materials but also to face Member States and respond publicly on issues such as their governance philosophy, vision for United Nations reform, global peace and security, protection of human rights, sustainable development, and multilateral cooperation.
Gender Equality and Regional Representation Draw Attention
Since the establishment of the office of the United Nations Secretary-General, no woman has held the position. Therefore, in this new round of selection for Secretary-General, the nomination of female candidates, the principle of gender equality, and regional representation have drawn significant attention from the international community. Relevant resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly also encourage Member States to give full consideration to gender equality and geographical fairness when making nominations.
Security Council Begins Consideration of Candidate Qualifications
On May 29, 2026, the President of the General Assembly transmitted a letter from the President of the Security Council, informing that the Security Council had begun the process of considering the qualifications of the candidates. This means that the selection process for Secretary-General is gradually moving from the stage of public presentation by candidates and interaction with Member States into the stage of Security Council consideration and recommendation.
Second Round of Interactive Dialogues with Candidates to Be Held in June 2026
The Office of the President of the United Nations General Assembly announced that the second round of informal interactive dialogues with candidates for Secretary-General will be held at United Nations Headquarters in June 2026. Compared with the first round of dialogues, the second round of exchanges will focus more specifically on the candidates’ views regarding the current international situation and the future direction of United Nations reform.
According to the procedure, the Security Council will recommend a candidate for Secretary-General to the United Nations General Assembly after its consideration. Ultimately, the General Assembly will complete the appointment based on the recommendation of the Security Council. The next Secretary-General is expected to assume office after the end of the current Secretary-General’s term and lead the United Nations into a new five-year term.
Celebrity Media Observation
As early as November 2025, Celebrity Media expressed its view on the emergence of a female Secretary-General: Election of the Tenth Secretary-General of the United Nations: Who Will Represent the “Perfect Number Ten” and Become the First Woman to Lead the Organization?
The selection of the Secretary-General is not merely a personnel appointment, but an institutional choice by the international community concerning the future direction of the United Nations. In an era marked by profound changes in the global order, intertwined questions of war and peace, and overlapping challenges of development and security, whether the next Secretary-General can uphold the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, strengthen trust in the multilateral system, and promote practical cooperation among Member States will directly affect the future effectiveness and credibility of the United Nations.
Celebrity Media will continue to follow the selection and appointment process for the tenth Secretary-General of the United Nations, as well as the latest developments involving candidates during public interactions, Member State consideration, and Security Council recommendation.
