Kenya disowns reports it has endorsed UAE candidate for UN chief

NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 27 – Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei has denied that Kenya has endorsed any candidate in the race to succeed United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, contradicting reports that the government had thrown its weight behind United Arab Emirates diplomat Lana Nusseibeh.

Sing’oei said Nairobi was still assessing the contenders seeking to lead the global organisation, insisting that the government had not settled on a preferred candidate despite an announcement by Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi that Kenya supported Nusseibeh.

“Quite to the contrary, Kenya has not expressed support for any candidate at this point,” Sing’oei said.

He added that the government was closely monitoring the campaigns, including expressions of interest from new candidates, and was confident that a suitable leader would emerge.

“We are following keenly the ongoing campaigns for UNSG including the expression of interest by new candidates and are confident that a candidate with the capacity to lead the UN at this critical juncture will not only receive our support but that of the majority of Members of the UN,” he said.

The statement comes a day after Mudavadi announced Kenya’s support for Nusseibeh during a visit to Moscow on Monday, October 26, citing her experience in multilateral diplomacy and her service within the UN system.

According to reports by The Eastleigh Voice and The Brief, Mudavadi said Kenya looked forward to working with the Emirati diplomat to strengthen cooperation between the United Nations and Africa. The remarks were widely reported as a formal endorsement of her candidature.

Nusseibeh, 48, was formally nominated by the UAE on October 21. She served as her country’s ambassador to the United Nations from 2013 to 2024 and currently holds the position of minister of state for foreign affairs.

Her entry has added another contender to the increasingly competitive race to replace Guterres, whose second term expires on December 31, 2026. The new secretary-general is expected to take office on January 1, 2027.

The contest has yet to produce a clear frontrunner acceptable to all five permanent members of the UN Security Council, whose veto powers give them decisive influence over the selection process.

Reuters reported that Nusseibeh entered the race amid divisions among the permanent members, with existing candidates struggling to secure the support needed to advance to the final stage.

Other contenders include former Costa Rican vice-president Rebeca Grynspan, International Atomic Energy Agency director-general Rafael Grossi and Guyanese diplomat Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett, among others.

The selection process begins with the Security Council recommending a candidate to the General Assembly, which then appoints the secretary-general. A recommendation requires at least nine affirmative votes in the 15-member council and no veto from any of the five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Kenya’s position is significant given its role as host to the UN headquarters in Africa at Gigiri, Nairobi, as well as the United Nations Environment Programme and UN-Habitat.

The country has also consistently called for reforms to the UN Security Council to improve Africa’s representation in global decision-making.

Sing’oei did not explain the apparent difference between his statement and Mudavadi’s announcement, leaving uncertainty over whether the government has withdrawn an earlier endorsement or whether the two officials differ on the status of Kenya’s position.