New York / PNN /

 The official process to select the tenth Secretary-General of the United Nations, who will succeed António Guterres starting January 1, 2027, formally began yesterday, Tuesday.

In a joint message, the 15-member Security Council and the 193-member UN General Assembly called on all member states to submit the names of candidates for the position.

The message stated: “While we express our regret that no woman has ever held the position of Secretary-General, and believing in the necessity of ensuring equal opportunities for women and men in reaching senior decision-making positions, we encourage member states to seriously consider nominating women. We also highlight the importance of regional diversity in selecting the Secretary-General.”

According to Agence France-Presse, several names have already been informally circulating, including former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director Rafael Grossi, and Costa Rican Rebeca Grynspan, currently serving as Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Security Council members are expected to begin the selection process by the end of July 2026. The five permanent members of the Council – the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, China, and France – must agree on a candidate.

The Security Council will then formally recommend a nominee to the General Assembly, which will elect the Secretary-General for a five-year term starting January 1, 2027, renewable once.