Rebeca Grynspan leads UN secretary-general selection — The National
In New York, United States, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica led the fourth secret informal vote of the UN Security Council on the candidacy for the organization’s next secretary-general. She received 10 favorable votes, three votes against and two votes with no defined position, The National reports, citing diplomats.
France’s UN Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont, who chaired the Security Council in September, confirmed to journalists that the fourth round had taken place but did not disclose the results.
Voting results
Guyana’s UN Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Argentine Rafael Grossi received eight favorable votes each. Rodrigues-Birkett also received six votes against and one vote with no defined position, while Grossi received seven votes against and no such votes.
Grynspan previously served as vice president of Costa Rica and has headed the UN Conference on Trade and Development since 2021. Before the fourth round, she already had a slight advantage, having placed first in the previous vote.
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Further procedure
The informal votes are only part of the selection process. A candidate must receive at least nine votes in the Security Council and face no objection from any of the five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the aggressor state, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The next stage traditionally involves voting with colored ballots, which make it possible to distinguish the positions of the Council’s permanent members from the votes of its 10 elected members. After that, the Security Council recommends a candidate to the UN General Assembly, which includes 193 states, for appointment.
Starling Institute co-founder and former adviser to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan Minh-Thu Pham told The National that, in her view, Rodrigues-Birkett’s candidacy faces resistance from Washington because of a perception of her closeness to China and her position on Gaza. According to Pham’s assessment, Grossi’s candidacy may also be hindered by opposition from Russia, the aggressor state, while statements by Argentine President Javier Milei regarding the Falkland Islands could be difficult for the United Kingdom.
Current UN Secretary-General António Guterres is to be replaced following the current selection process. In the UN’s 81-year history, it has never been led by a woman, while several female candidates are among the contenders for the post.
