Former Senegalese President Macky Sall Enters Race for UN Secretary-General

Senegal’s former leader, Macky Sall, has officially  joined the race for the position of United Nations Secretary-General.

The UN confirmed on Monday that Burundi has nominated Sall, who served as Senegal’s president from 2012 to 2024, for the top international post.

While Sall is recognized for his accomplishments during his presidency, he has faced domestic criticism, including allegations that his government downplayed the true scale of the nation’s financial difficulties.

The UN is set to select a new Secretary-General this year to succeed António Guterres, with the five-year term scheduled to start on 1 January 2027.

Although the role traditionally rotates among geographic regions, Guterres’ election in 2016, as a Portuguese national, disrupted the expected rotation, which had been scheduled next for Eastern Europe and then Latin America.

Sall’s candidacy joins those of two formally nominated contenders: Michelle Bachelet, former president of Chile, and Rafael Grossi, Argentina’s diplomat and current head of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Costa Rica has also proposed former Vice President Rebeca Grynspan, although her formal submission to the UN is still pending.

This year’s selection has attracted particular attention amid calls for the UN to appoint its first female Secretary-General in its 80-year history.

The Security Council must begin the official selection process by the end of July.