As Guterres prepares to leave, what can the next UN chief actually do?

Al Jazeera English1 hour ago2:32

World leaders are convening in New York for the 2026 UN General Assembly, with the search for Antonio Guterres's successor as secretary-general already under way. The role carries significant symbolic weight but limited executive power, as illustrated by the UN's failed attempts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz despite a task force established months earlier. Guterres invoked Article 99 over Gaza in 2023, prompting a Security Council resolution that was later vetoed by the United States, underscoring the constraints facing whoever takes on what is often called the world's most impossible job. Al Jazeera's Gabriel Elizondo reports from UN headquarters in New York. Subscribe to our channel: http://bit.ly/AJSubscribe Follow us on X: https://X.com/AJEnglish Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aljazeera Check our website: http://www.aljazeera.com/ Check out our Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/aljazeeraenglish/ Download AJE Mobile App: https://aje.news/AJEMobile #UNGA2026 #UnitedNations #UNGeneralAssembly #AntónioGuterres #UNGSecretaryGeneral #UNLeadership #UNChief #UN2026 #UNSecurityCouncil #UNReform #StraitOfHormuz #Gaza