The United Arab Emirates has formally nominated Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Minister of State and the country's former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, as its candidate for the role of UN Secretary-General. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan submitted the nomination in an official letter to the presidents of the UN General Assembly and Security Council. Sheikh Mohamed's nomination letter cited Nusseibeh's extensive experience at the United Nations, her judgement in addressing international challenges, and her record of constructive diplomatic work. Nusseibeh previously served as the UAE's representative to the UN and led the country's delegation during its recent two-year term on the Security Council.
The nomination comes after six rounds of voting in the Security Council failed to produce a candidate acceptable to all five permanent members — the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France. News of Nusseibeh's candidacy was reported on Wednesday by UAE state media and drew wide coverage from international outlets.
The entry of an Emirati diplomat into the race for one of the most sensitive positions in global diplomacy has generated significant attention across regional and international media, and is being described as a step that could strengthen the UAE's role in multilateral diplomacy.