Uganda nominates former UN envoy for secretary-general post

Uganda has nominated former Permanent Representative to the United Nations and former UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict Olara Otunnu for the post of UN secretary-general.

The nomination was confirmed by La Nèice Collins, a spokesperson for the Office of the President of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, TASS reports.

An email distributed to journalists by Collins stated that the President of the General Assembly has received a notification from the Republic of Uganda nominating Olara Otunnu for the position of Secretary-General.

Otunnu began his diplomatic career in the 1980s as Uganda's permanent representative to the United Nations. During his tenure, he proposed the preliminary secret straw poll system used by the UN Security Council in selecting candidates, including for the post of secretary-general.

The 75-year-old diplomat has also served as Vice President of the UN General Assembly, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, and Uganda's minister of foreign affairs.

By Jeyhun Aghazada