Argentine diplomat Virginia Gamba has been removed from the race to become the next UN secretary-general after the Maldives withdrew their support for her candidacy.
The news – which boosts the candidacy of fellow Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi – was confirmed by a United Nations General Assembly spokesperson on Thursday.
The candidacy of Gamba, the former UN special representative for the protection of children in armed conflict, was initially announced back in mid-March, but the Maldives informed the UN of their decision to withdraw their nomination, spokesperson La Neice Collins told reporters.
Since the nomination was submitted by only one state, it is now invalidated.
Earlier this week, Chile's far-right government, led by new President José Antonio Kast, formally notified the UN that it was withdrawing its support for former president Michelle Bachelet's candidacy.
Bachelet remains in the running, however, because she is still backed by Mexico and Brazil.
Three other candidates are officially in the race to replace Portuguese UN chief António Guterres, starting January 1, 2027: Rebeca Grynspan, a former vice-president of Costa Rica; Grossi, the current director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); and Macky Sall, former president of Senegal.
They are scheduled to be interviewed by member states in the second half of April.
Each candidate must be nominated by at least one state or group of states, but not necessarily their country of origin.
Following a tradition of geographical rotation that is not always observed, the position of UN secretary-general is being sought this time by Latin America. Many states are also urging that a woman hold the post for the first time.
The 15 members of the Security Council – particularly the five veto-wielding permanent members (United States, China, Russia, United Kingdom, France) – play a critical role in the selection process, which will begin by the end of July.
It is only on the council's recommendation that the General Assembly, which comprises all UN member states, can elect a secretary-general for a five-year term, which is renewable once.
– TIMES/AFP/NA
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