UN Secretary-General Race Intensifies as Four Contenders Face Scrutiny in First Round of Interviews

UN leadership race takes centre stage with first round of interviews

The competition to lead the United Nations entered a critical phase as four official candidates underwent extensive questioning over a two-day period. Central to their discussions: whether the international organisation can regain its effectiveness and restore public confidence.

During interviews conducted on Tuesday to determine who will succeed current Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the candidates presented a sobering picture of the global institution's current state. Rafael Grossi, an Argentine diplomat and director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, articulated concerns about the UN's trajectory and the fundamental challenges facing the organisation.

"This election, or selection, process is so consequential, and this is because we are at a time when there are enormous, huge doubts about our institution," Grossi stated. "The direction in which the UN is moving is not the one we would all like to see."

Michelle Bachelet, Chile's former president, echoed similar concerns, emphasizing the precarious state of global affairs. She warned that "our world and the order based on international law that sustains it is under strain as never before".

The field of four candidates also includes Rebeca Grynspan, a senior United Nations official, and Macky Sall, the former president of Senegal. Both candidates expressed comparable levels of pessimism regarding the organisation's standing. Grynspan highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that public trust in the UN "is waning and because time is running out to restore it".

Published: 12:47pm, 23 Apr 2026