Lana Nusseibeh launches campaign to become next UN Secretary-General

Lana Nusseibeh has officially launched her bid to serve as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations after receiving a formal nomination from the United Arab Emirates.

The announcement follows an informal straw poll held by the UN Security Council on October 16 as member states assess potential successors to António Guterres, whose second term concludes at the end of December 2026. Nusseibeh, who serves as a UAE Minister of State and envoy to both the European Union and the UN, has taken a temporary leave from her governmental duties to focus entirely on her campaign.

In launching her bid, Nusseibeh highlighted the critical role of diplomacy and the urgent need to rebuild global confidence in international institutions. She explained that she intends to approach the role with complete independence, engaging openly with every member nation without answering to any individual capital. Her vision statement outlines a comprehensive agenda centered on peace, institutional efficiency, development, and the consistent protection of fundamental human rights.

A central element of her platform is enhancing the global body's capacity to resolve conflicts and prevent violence. Nusseibeh advocates for persistent, quiet diplomacy that delivers immediate, tangible results on the ground, including local ceasefires, humanitarian corridors, and prisoner swaps. Her approach emphasizes working in close partnership with regional mediators and entities positioned nearest to conflict zones, noting that the organization does not always have to command every negotiation as long as it brings distinct value to the discussions.

Nusseibeh is also calling for structural reforms to sharpen operational focus and improve fiscal accountability within the UN Secretariat. Under her proposals, major initiatives would be required to evaluate achievements against expenditures, cut redundant administrative layers, and shift more resources and authority directly to personnel deployed in field operations.

Regarding sustainable development, her agenda stresses supporting nationally set economic goals, generating employment, tackling the unfair pricing of financial risk, and pursuing equitable debt relief frameworks, particularly for vulnerable and conflict-affected nations. On emerging global issues, she urges early multilateral standards for artificial intelligence and biotechnology alongside targeted assistance for communities threatened by climate instability.

Nusseibeh brings more than a decade of high-level diplomatic experience in multilateral affairs, having represented the UAE as its permanent ambassador to the United Nations between 2013 and 2024. During that period, she presided over the UN Security Council twice during the UAE's elected term, served as Vice-President of the General Assembly, and headed the executive board of UN Women.