UAE formally nominates Lana Nusseibeh for UN Secretary-General

The UAE has formally nominated Minister of State Lana Zaki Nusseibeh as a candidate to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan submitted the nomination in a letter to the presidents of the UN General Assembly and Security Council as part of the selection process.

In the letter, Sheikh Mohamed highlighted Nusseibeh’s experience at the United Nations, her judgement in addressing international challenges and her record of constructive work.

Nusseibeh served as the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the UN from 2013 to 2024.

During that period, she held several senior roles, including Vice-President of the General Assembly and President of the Executive Board of UN Women.

She also twice served as President of the UN Security Council during the UAE’s 2022-2023 term.

Nusseibeh's work has covered areas including peace and security, humanitarian action, sustainable development, climate-related security risks and multilateral reform.

The Security Council has been considering candidates through informal straw polls, with the latest held on October 16.

Under the UN Charter, the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly following a recommendation from the Security Council.

The successful candidate will lead the organisation from January 2027.

UAE formally nominates Lana Nusseibeh for United Nations Secretary-General#WamNews https://t.co/opafFHdybY pic.twitter.com/j4m9KDqZwT

— WAM English (@WAMNEWS_ENG) October 21, 2026