With the second term of the ninth UN Secretary-General António Guterres coming to an end on 31 December 2026, the process is underway to select and appoint his successor. Following the interactive dialogues with four candidates for the post in April, two further nominations have been presented. President of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) Annalena Baerbock convened additional interactive dialogues to hear from the candidates and to allow for engagement with Member States and civil society.

On 5 September 2025, the UNGA adopted a resolution on the revitalization of the work of the General Assembly, which outlines the process for the selection and appointment of the Secretary-General. Based on this and previous related resolutions, the process is guided by the principles of transparency and inclusivity.

A joint letter of the UNGA President and the President of the Security Council, dated 25 November 2025, formally initiated the selection process by inviting nominations from Member States and laying out the principles of the selection process.

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Following this, individual Member States and groups of Member States nominated five candidates for the position, with each candidate providing a vision statement, curriculum vitae, and campaign financing disclosures.

Argentina nominated Rafael Mariano Grossi on 26 November 2025. Chile, Brazil, and Mexico nominated Michelle Bachelet Jeria on 2 February 2026. Burundi nominated Macky Sall on 2 March 2026. Costa Rica nominated Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis on 3 March 2026. The Maldives-nominated candidacy of Virginia Gamba was subsequently withdrawn.

On 21 and 22 April, the four candidates engaged in broadcast interactive dialogues, to present his or her vision and respond to questions from Member States and civil society.

Subsequently, two more candidates were nominated. Antigua and Barbuda nominated former UNGA President María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés (Ecuador) on 11 May 2026. Guyana nominated its Permanent Representative to the UN Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett on 15 June 2026. 

In her vision statement, Espinosa Garcés pledges to rebuild the UN to restore trust and deliver results by focusing on five pillars: peace and security; the development imperative; energy and digital transformation; closing the delivery gap; and resourcing results.

Themed, ‘Reasserting, Reforming, and Rallying Our United Nations,’ Rodrigues Birkett’s vision statement centers around the three pillars of the UN – peace and security, development, and human rights, and well as the UN80 reform agenda, using a people-centered approach.

Member States and civil society engaged with Espinosa Garcés and Rodrigues Birkett through interactive dialogues respectively held on 15 June 2026 and 18 June 2026.

The tenth Secretary-General will be appointed by the UNGA, on the recommendation of the Security Council, in accordance with Article 97 of the UN Charter. Assuming the role in January 2027, the newly appointed Secretary-General will serve a term of five years, which Member States can renew for an additional five years. While technically there is no limit to the number of five-year terms a Secretary-General may serve, none has held office for more than two terms. No woman has ever held the position of Secretary-General.

The new Secretary-General will lead the UN as Member States advance the UN80 reform initiative, undertake efforts to develop metrics that complement and go beyond Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and launch negotiations on a post-2030 sustainable development agenda. [Selection and Appointment of the Next Secretary-General] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on Four Candidates for Position of UN Secretary-General]