UAE formally nominates Lana Nusseibeh for United Nations Secretary-General

The United Arab Emirates has formally nominated Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State, as a candidate for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations.

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, submitted the nomination in a letter addressed to the presidents of the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council, in accordance with the approved procedures for the selection and appointment process of the next Secretary-General.

In the nomination letter, His Highness highlighted Nusseibeh’s deep experience of the United Nations, her judgement in addressing the ongoing international challenges, and her record of constructive work.

In addition to her ministerial capacity, Nusseibeh served as the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2013 to 2024. During that period, Nusseibeh served as a Vice-President of the General Assembly, President of the Executive Board of UN Women, co-chaired General Assembly revitalisation and Security Council reform processes, and twice served as President of the Security Council during the UAE’s 2022-2023 term. Her work has spanned across various fields, particularly peace and security, humanitarian action, sustainable development, climate-related security risks, women’s affairs, and multilateral reform.

The Security Council has been considering the field of candidates through a series of informal straw polls, with the latest held on 16 October.

Under the United Nations Charter, the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. The selection process will continue in the weeks ahead as Council members consider the candidates seeking to lead the organisation from January 2027.

WAM