UN searches for new Secretary-General as Antonio Guterres term comes to an end

U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres has run into problems as the leading candidates are struggling to secure the support they need. This has led to new candidates being proposed, most notably the senior Emirati diplomat Lana Nussebe. Our correspondent in New York, Jessica LeMessurier, sent us this. A dark horse candidate has entered the race for Secretary General of the United Nations, Emirati diplomat Lana Nussebe. Now, she's a familiar face here at UN headquarters because she was the UAE's ambassador here. The United Arab Emirates officially nominated her for the post this week. She's got a slick PR team behind her. No sooner was her candidacy announced than we all got press releases, emails with information about people singing her praises. Nussebe says that she would bring experience and independence to the role of Secretary General. but her nomination is already drawing sharp criticism from human rights advocates, particularly over the UAE's domestic rights record and its alleged role in Sudan's devastating civil war. The UAE's been accused of providing weapons and support to Sudan's RSF, the paramilitary group accused of mass atrocities, including the massacre in El Fasher. Now, the Emirati government denies these allegations. One researcher, however, said that Nussebe's appointment could be a catastrophe for the UN's credibility and for its work in Sudan and across the Middle East. Supporters, however, point to her extensive diplomatic experience. Nussebe is entering a crowded field. The race appeared to be deadlocked, though candidates had secured clear consensus amongst the Security Council's most powerful P5 veto-wielding members. Other top candidates include Costa Rican economist and diplomat Rebecca Greenspan, Argentina's Rafael Grossi, who's head of the UN's nuclear watchdog, and Guyana's UN ambassador, Caroline Rodriguez-Burkert. It's unlikely that Nussebe would have entered this race at the late stage that she's entered if she didn't think that she had the blessing of the P5. And some UN watchers say it's almost like observing a coronation at this point. But the question is now whether or not Nussebe's diplomatic credentials will help her overcome human rights concerns about the government that she represents.