Gulf States Back Lana Nusseibeh in UN Leadership Race

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published October 22, 2026

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The United Arab Emirates has secured the backing of its five Gulf neighbours for Lana Nusseibeh's bid to become the next United Nations secretary-general, giving the veteran diplomat an early show of regional support in a race marked by divisions among the Security Council's most powerful members.

The endorsement was announced Thursday by Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, who confirmed unanimous support from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The announcement came one day after UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan formally submitted Nusseibeh's nomination to the presidents of the UN General Assembly and Security Council.

The 2026 leadership contest has been complicated by disagreements among the Security Council's five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — each of which holds veto power.

A series of informal ballots, including the latest on October 16, has failed to produce a consensus candidate.

While the Gulf endorsement strengthens Nusseibeh's regional diplomatic backing, it does not guarantee her selection. Under UN rules, the Security Council must recommend a candidate before the General Assembly can make the appointment.

Nusseibeh brings more than a decade of experience at the UN, having served as the UAE's permanent representative from 2013 to 2024. She twice presided over the Security Council during her country's 2022–2023 term and previously chaired the executive board of UN Women.

Speaking to Reuters on Wednesday, she called for a more effective UN capable of addressing international crises through diplomacy.

The next secretary-general is expected to take office in January 2027, succeeding António Guterres, whose second term ends on December 31.

If appointed, Nusseibeh would become the first woman to lead the United Nations in its eight-decade history.