Former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan has emerged as the frontrunner in the race to become the next United Nations secretary-general, following an informal Security Council poll that showed no clear winner.
Two people familiar with the process told Reuters that Grynspan secured nine votes in favour, five against and one expressing no opinion in Friday’s ballot.
However, two of the five opposing votes came from permanent Security Council members, whose objections could block her path to the position.
The other permanent members are Russia, China, the United States, France and the United Kingdom.
The poll was the sixth informal ballot organized by the 15-member council to select a successor to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term ends on December 31.
The latest ballot introduced colour-coded voting papers for the first time, allowing officials to identify whether any of the five permanent members opposed a candidate.
Under the selection process, a candidate needs at least nine votes from the 15 council members and must avoid opposition from any of the five permanent members.
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Grynspan, 70, has led four of the five previous polls conducted in recent months. Guyana’s UN ambassador, Carolyn Drogues-birkett, topped one ballot in August.
In Friday’s poll, Drogues-birkett received eight votes in favour, six against and one expressing no opinion. Two of the opposing votes came from permanent members.
Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, recorded a result similar to Drogues-birkett but received support from one fewer permanent member.
The absence of a clear frontrunner acceptable to all five permanent members could open the door for additional candidates to enter the race, diplomats and observers said.
The incoming secretary-general will face several challenges, including ongoing wars, reduced American contributions to the UN and concerns over the organization’s declining political influence.
The UN Security Council is expected to recommend a candidate for appointment by the 193-member General Assembly.
Reuters
