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The six candidates vying to become the next United Nations (UN) secretary-general will take part in a televised debate on Thursday, a week before the formal selection process begins for the organisation’s top job.
The 90-minute debate, to be held in the UN General Assembly Hall from 5:00 p.m. (2100 GMT), will be broadcast by Bloomberg and feature questions from diplomats, UN staff and civil society representatives.
The candidates seeking to succeed Secretary-General António Guterres are Michelle Bachelet of Chile, María Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett of Guyana and Macky Sall of Senegal.
General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock described the event as an opportunity for candidates to outline their priorities and leadership vision for one of the world’s most important positions.
She said the UN needed a leader capable of modernising the organisation while defending the principles of the UN Charter, including peace and security, human rights and development.
“This UN town hall will … provide a rare opportunity to engage with the ideas, priorities and leadership vision of the candidates for one of the world’s most important positions,” Baerbock said.
“In an increasingly fragmented world, the United Nations needs not only an exceptional chief administrator who will make the organisation fit for the 21st century but also the leadership and integrity of someone willing to vigorously defend the UN Charter and all its three pillars,” she added.
The race comes as the United Nations grapples with financial pressures and declining confidence in its effectiveness. The administration of United States President Donald Trump has criticised the organisation for excessive spending and called for greater focus on its core mandate of maintaining international peace and security, while many member states continue to stress the importance of its human rights and development work.
Despite the significance of the contest, analysts say the campaign has lacked the intensity of previous races.
Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group said the contest has been relatively cautious, with candidates appearing keen to avoid alienating the United States and other permanent members of the Security Council, each of which holds veto power.
The candidates have already undergone individual question-and-answer sessions with representatives of the UN’s 193 member states, where many highlighted the need to strengthen ongoing reforms and expand the secretary-general’s role in global peace efforts.
The Security Council is expected to hold its first confidential straw poll on July 30, allowing its 15 members to indicate their preferred candidates. Successive rounds of voting will continue until one contender secures at least nine votes without being vetoed by any of the five permanent members.
The chosen candidate will then be formally recommended to the General Assembly for appointment and is expected to assume office on January 1, 2027.
Diplomats say the race remains open, with several countries yet to settle on a preferred candidate.
Among names circulating outside the official list is FIFA president Gianni Infantino, whom the New York Post reported is favoured by Trump for the role.
Although not a formal requirement, Latin American countries argue it is their region’s turn to produce the next UN chief under the organisation’s tradition of geographic rotation. There are also growing calls for the position to be held by a woman for the first time.
