Overview
- A joint letter from General Assembly president Annalena Baerbock and Security Council president Michael Imran Janu invited member states to submit nominations.
- The notice urges governments to seriously consider nominating women, noting that no woman has ever held the post.
- Candidates will publish vision statements and take part in informal dialogues before a Council recommendation in 2026 and a 1 January 2027 handover.
- Publicly declared or nationally nominated contenders include Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan and IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, who has received support from Italy’s foreign minister.
- Additional figures have signaled interest or are reported as potential contenders, including Argentina’s Virginia Gamba, with regional balance and P5 acceptance expected to shape the field.