Former Senegalese president Macky Sall has officially entered the contest to become the next United Nations Secretary-General. His candidacy was formally nominated by Burundi, the world body confirmed on Monday.
Sall, who led Senegal from 2012 to 2024, faces mixed opinions over his tenure. While his administration achieved notable progress, he has been criticized domestically for allegedly concealing the true scale of the country’s fiscal challenges.
The election will select a successor to outgoing UN chief Antonio Guterres for a five-year term beginning 1 January 2027. Although UN leadership traditionally rotates by region, Guterres’ election in 2016, as a Portuguese national, disrupted the usual rotation, which had been expected to move to Eastern Europe, followed by Latin America.
Sall joins two other officially nominated candidates: former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet and Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi, who currently heads the International Atomic Energy Agency. Costa Rica has also proposed former vice president Rebeca Grynspan, though her candidacy has not yet been formally submitted.
The upcoming election has drawn attention amid a growing push for the United Nations to appoint its first female Secretary-General in its 80-year history. The UN Security Council is required to begin the selection process by the end of July.
