Overview
- General Assembly president Annalena Baerbock and rotating Security Council president Michael Imran Janu issued the letter that starts the selection process.
- Member states are asked to submit official candidates for a term beginning 1 January 2027, with vision statements and informal dialogues to follow in 2026.
- The Security Council will recommend a single nominee to the General Assembly late next year, and any contender can be blocked by a veto from the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom or France.
- Publicly declared contenders include Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Rafael Grossi of Argentina and Virginia Gamba of Argentina, reflecting pressure for a first woman and expectations of a Latin American pick.
- Argentina formally backed Grossi’s bid today, and coverage notes that candidates holding UN system posts may need to step down to remain eligible.