UAE diplomat becomes front-runner in UN race with human rights backlash

By the Editorial Team · Monday, October 26, 2026

The United Arab Emirates nominated Lana Nusseibeh, its ambassador to the UN, as a late contender for the next UN secretary-general, gaining support from key Security Council members and challenging the traditional regional rotation. Her candidacy has sparked criticism from human rights groups over the UAE’s alleged ties to armed groups accused of atrocities, raising concerns about the future direction and credibility of UN leadership.

A late entry from the United Arab Emirates has emerged as a leading contender in the race to become the next United Nations secretary-general, sparking significant controversy among human rights groups. Lana Nusseibeh, a seasoned diplomat and current UAE ambassador to the UN, was nominated by her government last week, reversing the previously deadlocked selection process that has stalled for three months.

Nusseibeh’s candidacy is gaining traction among key international players, including the United States and Russia, largely due to the UAE’s strong diplomatic ties with the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. This level of backing positions her as a front-runner to replace António Guterres, whose term expires at the end of 2026.

However, the nomination has drawn sharp criticism from rights advocates citing concerns over the UAE’s alleged support for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group accused of committing atrocities, including civilian massacres in Darfur. Human rights organizations and UN investigators have pointed to evidence of the UAE providing arms and mercenaries to the RSF, which intensified scrutiny of Nusseibeh’s candidacy given her role as a key spokesperson denying such allegations.

“This candidacy is a catastrophe, because it would represent the capture of the United Nations by the UAE,” said Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab. Refugees International’s president, Jeremy Konyndyk, echoed the call for Nusseibeh to publicly address and condemn UAE involvement in RSF-related violence as a condition for her bid.

Nusseibeh, 48, comes from a prominent Palestinian family with roots in Jerusalem and is viewed by supporters as a unifying figure in Middle East diplomacy. Her government is a member of the Abraham Accords, and she played a significant role in brokering a UN Security Council resolution on humanitarian aid to Gaza earlier this year. If selected, she would become the first woman and the second-youngest person to hold the UN’s top post in its 81-year history.

While her entry has reshaped the race, it has also unsettled Latin American and Caribbean countries, which have traditionally expected the next secretary-general to be chosen from their region under an informal rotation system. The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) has reinforced this expectation in a formal letter to the Security Council.

Before Nusseibeh’s late entry, the leading candidates included former Costa Rican vice-president Rebeca Grynspan, former Guyanese foreign minister Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, and Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi. All secured significant support in recent straw polls but failed to overcome vetoes from some permanent Security Council members.

In her initial campaign statements, Nusseibeh has emphasized her ability to negotiate consensus in contentious environments and pledged to pursue “generational change” within the UN. She also promised to promote a “more focused UN” with greater cost efficiencies, aligning with calls from previous U.S. administrations for budget discipline.

As Nusseibeh faces increased scrutiny during upcoming discussions at the UN General Assembly, her candidacy continues to provoke debate over the future leadership of the organization and the broader implications of backing a candidate linked to a state alleged to be involved in serious human rights violations.

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