Source: European Union, 2026 CC BY 4.0 – Adapted
Name? Lana Nusseibeh
Westphalian identity? Emirati
Age? 48
Why is she in the news? On 21 October, the United Arab Emirates officially nominated Lana Nusseibeh to serve as the next United Nations Secretary-General. Having served as the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the UN from 2013 to 2024, she now enters the race to take over the organisation’s lead position as current Secretary-General António Guterres’s term ends on 31 December.
Why do we care? The announcement of Nusseibeh’s candidacy comes less than a week after the sixth straw poll, from which no one candidate has secured enough votes to be formally recommended by the Security Council to the General Assembly. Frontrunner Rebeca Grynspan and other candidates represent Latin American countries, which prior to Nusseibeh’s application was presumed to be home to the next UN leader. Lana Nusseibeh joining the race therefore not only means giving the indecisive Security Council another option late in the game, but also that the informal regional rotation system is being challenged.
Why should you care? In a world where great powers are increasingly stepping away from multilateralism as global conflicts escalate, the next Secretary-General will not only be responsible for negotiating agreements, but also for persuading progressively protectionist states to accept them. This cooperation is exactly what Nusseibeh promises when saying “The United Nations was never meant to agree with the world. It was built to help the world agree.”
Who else cares? Although Saudi Arabia backed Nusseibeh’s bid through the GCC’s unanimous endorsement, an Emirati UN chief could raise the UAE’s profile above that of its Gulf rival, led by Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman. Riyadh may therefore have to weigh Gulf unity against its ambition to lead the Arab world.
Any further comments? As conflicts in the MENA region continue to have global domino effects, an Emirati at the helm of the United Nations impulses the UAE as a peacemaker and would conveniently Abu Dhabi a speed-dial to the UN chief.