Costa Rica’s Grynspan narrowly ahead in race for next UN chief

Former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan emerged as the leading candidate in the race to become the 10th United Nations secretary-general after an informal Security Council poll held on Tuesday, sources familiar with the process told Reuters.

The fourth secret poll conducted by the 15-member Security Council came after world leaders gathered for the UN General Assembly in New York last week.

Grynspan also narrowly led the first and third polls, held in July and September respectively. An August poll, however, placed Guyana’s UN ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett at the top.

Following the withdrawal of former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet from the race this month, seven candidates are now competing to succeed Antonio Guterres. Guterres, the former Portuguese prime minister, is due to leave office at the end of this year after serving two five-year terms. Additional candidates could still enter the race.

The next secretary-general will face a range of challenges, including multiple wars, reductions in US contributions to the United Nations and concerns over the organization’s declining political relevance.

Ultimately, the five permanent members of the Security Council with veto power — the United States, China, Russia, France and Britain — will have to agree on a candidate. When Guterres was selected in 2016, the council conducted six straw polls before reaching an agreement.

The Security Council will eventually formally recommend a candidate to the 193-member General Assembly, which will then elect the secretary-general. The assembly has long been expected to approve the council’s choice.

In the UN’s more than 80-year history, no woman has ever served as secretary-general.

The straw polls are expected to continue for several more rounds. During the confidential ballots, Security Council members indicate whether they “encourage,” “discourage” or have “no opinion” on each candidate.

Grynspan received 10 “encourage” votes, three “discourage” votes and two “no opinion” votes in Tuesday’s poll, according to sources close to the process.

Rodrigues-Birkett received eight “encourage” votes, six “discourage” votes and one “no opinion” vote.

Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, the high-profile director general of the UN nuclear watchdog, also received eight “encourage” votes, while seven council members marked “discourage.”

By Tamilla Hasanova