New york: The process to elect the next United Nations Secretary-General formally kicked off as member states were asked to nominate candidates to take over the role from 1st January 2027.

According to Emirates News Agency, in a joint letter, the 15-member Security Council and the President of the 193-member General Assembly invited nominations, marking the start of the race to replace Antonio Guterres as the world body's chief administrator. The letter emphasized the need for gender equality, urging member states to consider nominating women for the position, highlighting that no woman has ever held the role. Additionally, the letter underscored the importance of regional diversity in the selection process.

The 15-member Security Council will formally recommend a candidate to the 193-member General Assembly for election as the 10th UN Secretary-General later next year. Publicly declared candidates for the position include Chile's former President Michelle Bachelet, former Vice President of Costa Rica Rebeca Grynspan, and Argentinian diplomat Rafael Grossi. Ultimately, the five permanent veto-wielding council members - the United States, Russia, Britain, China, and France - must agree on a candidate.