Uganda Nominates Olara Otunnu for UN Secretary-General

The Government of Uganda has formally nominated Olara Otunnu, a 75-year-old former diplomat and opposition political leader, for the position of United Nations Secretary-General. The nomination was submitted on July 24, 2026, and circulated to all 193 member states on July 25 by General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock and Security Council President Zénon Mukongo Nga.

Otunnu, who previously served as UN under-secretary general for children and armed conflict, is the seventh candidate to enter the race to succeed António Guterres, whose term ends on December 31, 2026. In his vision statement, Otunnu prioritized ending major international conflicts, continuing institutional reforms, and establishing a new body to oversee artificial intelligence.

Other contenders include Michelle Bachelet, Maria Fernanda Espinosa, Rafael Grossi, Rebeca Grynspan, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, and Macky Sall. The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to hold its first anonymous straw poll on July 30 to narrow the field. To take office on January 1, 2027, the winning candidate must secure nine votes and avoid a veto from any permanent Security Council member, including China, Russia, or the United States.