Russia to Begin UN Secretary-General Selection Process in October

DID Press: Russia plans to initiate the process of selecting a new Secretary-General for the United Nations during its presidency of the UN Security Council in October, according to Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN.

In a press conference marking Russia’s assumption of the UN Security Council presidency for the month of October, Nebenzya stated, “Yes, we really do intend to start this process during our presidency.”

The selection of the next UN Secretary-General will officially begin with a joint letter from the Presidents of the UN Security Council and the General Assembly.

Nebenzya further explained, “Yesterday, I met with the President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, to explain our program for the Security Council presidency. We also discussed the selection of the Secretary-General, and she was fully supportive. We have decided to prepare an initial draft of the letter.”

While the process will begin in October, Nebenzya noted that preparing the document will take some time, and it is unlikely to be made public during the current month. He added, “I hope that by the end of the year, or even sooner, this letter will be published.”

The current term of António Guterres, the current UN Secretary-General, ends on December 31, 2026. Rafael Grossi, the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has officially declared his candidacy for the position of UN Secretary-General.