Astana, 22 October. Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry has backed the nomination of the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Lana Nusseibeh for the post of UN Secretary-General, saying that a wider field of candidates would help find a compromise in the Security Council, where disagreements have stalled the election.
"In this regard, Kazakhstan welcomes the expansion of the circle of candidates, seeing it as an additional opportunity to continue constructive dialogue and seek a mutually acceptable solution," the ministry's statement says. The ministry also called for a transparent election process that takes candidates' professional qualities into account, for strengthening the UN's central role and making its work more effective.
The 48-year-old Nusseibeh's candidacy was formally presented on 21 October to the presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council by UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. From 2013 to 2024 she was the UAE's permanent representative to the UN; in 2022–2023, when the UAE sat on the Security Council, she led the country's delegation and twice presided over the Council; she was a vice-president of the General Assembly and held a senior post at UN Women. If elected, she would be the first woman to hold the post of Secretary-General.
The election has reached deadlock: preliminary votes in the Security Council have not produced a candidate acceptable to all five permanent members with a veto — the US, Russia, China, the UK and France. Other contenders include former Costa Rican vice-president Rebeca Grynspan, IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi and former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet. The current Secretary-General, António Guterres, completes his second and final term on 31 December 2026. Under the UN Charter the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council, and the new one is due to take office in January 2027.
What it means: Kazakhstan has openly sided with a new candidate in the race to lead the UN, the UAE's representative, linking its support to the search for a way out of the deadlock in the Security Council.
Who benefits: First of all the UAE and Nusseibeh herself: support from states outside the Security Council strengthens the candidacy ahead of the vote. Kazakhstan, according to the ministry, hopes for a more effective UN; the sources do not report any bilateral arrangements with the UAE linked to the support.
Background: Social media had discussed a possible nomination of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev; back in 2025 he said he already had enough experience of working in the organisation and intended to focus on Kazakhstan's development.
List of sources used: Zakon.kz, BES.media
Artificial intelligence was used in preparing this material.
