Ugandan diplomat Otunnu joins race to become next UN head

Ugandan diplomat ​Olara Otunnu has joined the contest to become the next secretary-general of ‌the United Nations, the seventh contender to succeed Antonio Guterres when he steps down at the end of this year. Otunnu, a former U.N. under-secretary-general who served as a special representative for children and armed conflict, ​was nominated by Uganda in a letter on Friday to the presidents of the ​U.N. General Assembly and Security Council. At 75, he is the oldest of ⁠the current candidates for the role, which Guterres has held for two five-year terms. Guterres’ ​successor faces the task of revitalising an organisation in crisis and declining stature that is under ​increasing pressure to reform a bloated, costly bureaucracy and cut duplication across its many agencies. In his vision statement, Otunnu stressed the need to continue institutional reforms and said he would give immediate priority to efforts ​to help end major international conflicts. He also pledged work to establish a body ​to oversee U.N. work on AI and highlighted the need for climate change action that does not ‌undermine economic ⁠development. SEVEN CANDIDATES NOW IN THE RACE The other candidates are Rafael Grossi of Argentina, director-general of the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency; former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet; Rebeca Grynspan, a former vice president of Costa Rica; Maria Fernanda Espinosa, a former foreign affairs and defence minister ​of Ecuador; Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, ​a former foreign ⁠Minister of Guyana, and Macky Sall, a former president of Senegal. The selection process is expected to start in earnest this week with straw ​polls in the 15-nation Security Council aimed at whittling down the ​field. Other ⁠candidates can still join the race. Diplomats say there is no obvious frontrunner, although there has been a widespread view it is Latin America’s turn to provide the U.N. leader and there ⁠has been ​support for a first woman in the job. Experts say ​the key to success will be to avoid a veto by one of the five permanent members of the ​Security Council, particularly China, Russia or the United States.