Cyprus and Maldives have publicly backed UAE Minister of State Lana Zaki Nusseibeh for United Nations (UN) secretary-general, adding support beyond the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as the selection process advances.
Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos cited Nusseibeh’s diplomatic experience in an Oct. 23 post on X and said it was time for female leadership in multilateral organizations. He also expressed support for her candidacy and wished her success.
Maldives Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam welcomed the UAE nomination in a post dated Oct. 23, writing, “The time has come for a woman to lead UN.”
The GCC said on Oct. 22 that its member states unanimously backed the nomination. GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi said the support reflected a commitment to multilateral action and the UN’s role in international peace and security.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan submitted the nomination by letter on Oct. 21, and it was circulated to UN member states that day. EconoTimes previously covered Nusseibeh’s entry into the race.
The GCC said Nusseibeh served as the UAE’s permanent representative to the UN from 2013 to 2024. It also cited her service as a vice president of the General Assembly, her leadership of the UN Women Executive Board and her two terms as Security Council president during the UAE’s 2022-23 membership.
The endorsements do not decide the appointment. The Security Council considers candidates in private, informal straw polls, whose results are not published, then recommends a candidate for the General Assembly to appoint. The UN has not announced when the Council will make its recommendation. Nusseibeh’s interactive dialogue with member states is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 3 p.m. ET.
No woman has previously been appointed UN secretary-general, according to a UN General Assembly page.
