Maldives Backs UAE’s Lana Nusseibeh for UN Secretary-General
The Foreign Ministry says it is time for a woman to lead the UN. Nusseibeh, nominated on 21 October, is one of seven candidates still in the race, five of them women.
The News
The Maldives has declared its support for Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, the United Arab Emirates’ nominee to be the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement dated 22 October that it welcomed the UAE’s nomination and “expresses its support for her candidacy”. The ministry published the statement on its website and on X on 24 October.
The UAE nominated Nusseibeh on 21 October, according to a joint letter from the presidents of the UN General Assembly and the Security Council. The UAE’s letter describes her as Minister of State at its Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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The ministry said the Maldives “has consistently maintained” that it is time for a woman to lead the UN. It said the next Secretary-General must uphold the UN Charter and international law, and keep peace and security, sustainable development and human rights at the centre of the organisation’s work.
As a small island developing state, it said, the Maldives wants a credible, effective and inclusive UN in which all member states can contribute. It also called for a transparent, inclusive and merit-based selection process.
The statement does not mention the other candidates.
Step Back
Ten people have been nominated since the selection process began on 25 November 2025, according to the UN’s list of candidates. Three have since been withdrawn: Virginia Gamba in March, Michelle Bachelet in September and Macky Sall on 20 October. The Maldives itself nominated Gamba on 11 March and withdrew the nomination on 25 March, the UN list shows.
| Candidate | Nominated by | Nominated on |
|---|---|---|
| Rafael Mariano Grossi | Argentina | 26 November 2025 |
| Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis | Costa Rica | 3 March 2026 |
| María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés | Antigua and Barbuda | 11 May 2026 |
| Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett | Guyana | 15 June 2026 |
| Olara Otunnu | Uganda | 24 July 2026 |
| Ivonne A-Baki | Tonga | 17 August 2026 |
| Lana Zaki Nusseibeh | United Arab Emirates | 21 October 2026 |
Under the process, member states nominate candidates, who publish a vision statement, a CV and details of how their campaigns are funded. The President of the General Assembly holds public dialogues with each candidate, and the Security Council holds straw polls, according to the UN. Under the UN Charter, the General Assembly appoints the Secretary-General on the Security Council’s recommendation.
The UAE is one of the Maldives’ creditors. Moody’s said on 8 October that a US$100 million private placement owed to the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development had been extended to 2031, as Maldives Today reported.
The Record
- Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs: statement on the UAE’s nomination, 22 October 2026
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X, 24 October 2026
- United Nations: selection and appointment of the next Secretary-General
- Joint letter on the nomination of Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, 21 October 2026
- Lana Zaki Nusseibeh’s vision statement
