Costa Rican diplomat Rebeca Grynspan has emerged as the leading candidate to become the next United Nations secretary-general after the fourth round of informal Security Council polling, according to a diplomat familiar with the process.
Grynspan, who heads the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), secured 10 favourable votes in Tuesday’s straw poll. Three members marked her as “discourage,” while two expressed no opinion. The result marked her third first-place finish in four rounds of the confidential process.
However, her lead does not guarantee victory. Any candidate must secure at least nine votes in the 15-member Security Council while avoiding a veto from any of the five permanent members: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.
**Seven Candidates Seek Top UN Post**
Seven candidates are competing to replace current Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose second five-year term ends on December 31, 2026. The field includes four women and three men.
Former Guyanese foreign minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett placed second in the latest poll with eight favourable votes. Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, who leads the UN nuclear watchdog, finished third.
Other contenders include Senegal’s former president Macky Sall, Ecuadorian diplomat Ivonne A-Baki, former Ecuadorian foreign minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa and Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu.
Several candidates reportedly held meetings with world leaders during last week’s UN General Assembly gathering in New York.
**Veto Powers Could Shape Final Choice**
The selection process could still change significantly because of divisions among the five permanent Security Council members. Reports have suggested that a compromise candidate could emerge if the major powers fail to agree on the leading contenders.
Once a candidate receives sufficient Security Council support without facing a veto, the recommendation will go to the full General Assembly for confirmation.
The straw poll system dates back to the early 1980s and remains an informal mechanism despite criticism over its lack of transparency.
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