Omanghana
Former Senegalese President Macky Sall has withdrawn his candidacy to become the next United Nations Secretary-General, saying his decision would help efforts to reach agreement on a successor to António Guterres.
Sall announced his withdrawal on Saturday, October 17, 2026, a day after an informal Security Council poll exposed divisions over the seven contenders. Each candidate reportedly received at least one “discourage” vote from a permanent member of the council, signaling potential opposition to their eventual appointment.
Sall said he reached his decision after consultations with Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye and Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. He indicated that stepping aside would allow the council to work towards a consensus candidate.
The latest round of informal voting suggested growing support for a candidate from Latin America and the Caribbean, alongside calls for the organization to appoint its first female Secretary-General.
Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan emerged as a leading contender, although she also attracted opposition in the poll. The results left the contest unresolved, with no candidate securing support free of objections from the council’s permanent members.
Sall’s campaign had also encountered resistance within Africa. Nigeria questioned the process surrounding the African Union’s initial endorsement of his candidacy and argued that regional rotation favored a candidate from Latin America and the Caribbean.
At home, his ambition drew controversy and limited enthusiasm from Senegal’s current leadership, adding to the political challenges facing his bid.
His departure leaves Uganda’s Olara Otunnu as the only remaining African candidate in the contest. Otunnu also faces a difficult path after receiving substantial opposition in the latest informal voting.
The withdrawal narrows the field as Security Council members continue negotiations over who should lead the United Nations after Guterres.
Source: Omanghana
