Key facts
- Lana Nusseibeh, UAE ambassador to the UN, has entered the race for UN secretary general.
- Nusseibeh is noted for her advocacy of the Palestinian cause and a two-state solution.
- She faces criticism over the UAE's contested role in arming the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.
- CELAC has objected to her late entry into the race.
- Nusseibeh was educated at Cambridge University and born in Abu Dhabi in 1978.
Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE's ambassador to the UN, has entered the race to succeed António Guterres as secretary general. Nusseibeh, of Palestinian heritage, has been noted for her advocacy for the Palestinian cause and a two-state solution, and played a role in securing humanitarian aid for Gaza. Her candidacy has drawn criticism due to the UAE's alleged support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan, a group accused of genocide. Nusseibeh has denied these allegations. A bloc of Latin American and Caribbean states (CELAC) also formally objected to her late entry into the race, stating a consensus was emerging for their region to hold the position. Nusseibeh, born in Abu Dhabi in 1978, justified her entry by citing a deadlock among the six existing candidates. Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica currently leads the straw polls but faces objections from two permanent Security Council members.