By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
Former President of Senegal, Macky Sall, has officially declared his candidacy for the position of United Nations Secretary-General.
The United Nations confirmed on Monday that Sall, who governed Senegal from 2012 to 2024, was nominated for the global post by Burundi.
Sall’s bid places him among the contenders to succeed the current Secretary-General, António Guterres, whose term will end this year. The next Secretary-General will serve a five-year term beginning on January 1, 2027.
While Sall’s presidency was marked by infrastructure expansion and diplomatic engagement, his tenure has not been without controversy. Critics in Senegal have accused his administration of failing to fully disclose the scale of the country’s fiscal challenges during his time in office.
Traditionally, the role of Secretary-General rotates among global regions. When Guterres, a former Portuguese prime minister, assumed office in 2016, it was widely expected that Eastern Europe would take the turn. However, that rotation did not materialise. According to diplomatic convention, Latin America is next in line.
Sall joins two other formally declared candidates: former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet and Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi, who currently heads the International Atomic Energy Agency.
In addition, Costa Rica has put forward its former vice president, Rebeca Grynspan, although her official letter of candidacy has yet to be formally submitted to the UN.
The selection process is expected to begin before the end of July, when the UN Security Council will start deliberations. The election is also taking place amid growing global calls for the world body to appoint its first female Secretary-General in its 80-year history.
Sall’s entry into the race adds another high-profile name to what is shaping up to be a closely watched contest for one of the most influential diplomatic positions in the world.
