Candidates outline visions in rare transparent process ahead of 2027 leadership transition

By ifeoma Onyekachi

The United Nations has opened public hearings for candidates seeking to succeed Secretary-General António Guterres, signalling a decisive stage in the race to lead the global body.

In a significant departure from past practice, contenders are presenting their visions in live-streamed sessions, offering member states and the wider public unprecedented access to a process traditionally held behind closed doors.

Among those making their case are former Senegalese President Macky Sall, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi, and Costa Rican economist Rebeca Grynspan.

UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the two-day hearings will allow candidates to outline their priorities and respond to questions from member states and civil society.

“Candidates will present their vision for the United Nations, addressing leadership, reform, and the organisation’s core pillars of peace, development and human rights,” he said.

Interactive sessions featuring Bachelet and Grossi are scheduled for Tuesday, while Grynspan and Sall will take the stage on Wednesday.

In a communication to member states, President of the General Assembly Annalena Baerbock said the dialogues are designed to assess leadership capacity and proposals for strengthening the UN’s effectiveness.

The next Secretary-General is due to assume office on January 1, 2027, at a time the organisation faces mounting financial constraints, including unpaid member contributions, alongside increasing scrutiny over its ability to respond to global conflicts.

The process has also reignited calls for gender inclusion at the highest level, with the UN yet to appoint a female Secretary-General in its nearly 80-year history—a gap repeatedly highlighted by the General Assembly.

Observers say the expanded and more transparent format could reshape perceptions of the UN’s leadership selection, as civil society participation widens through the submission of questions and engagement in the hearings.

The candidates bring varied experience to the race. Bachelet, a former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, is seen as a strong contender with extensive leadership credentials. Grossi has centred his campaign on institutional reform and efficiency, drawing on his leadership of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Grynspan has focused on restoring confidence in the UN’s ability to deliver on development and trade, while Sall offers a perspective shaped by his tenure in one of West Africa’s most stable democracies and his advocacy for African interests globally.

The hearings are expected to influence early consensus-building among member states ahead of the final selection, as the United Nations navigates a critical moment in its evolution.