Burundi has nominated Macky Sall, Senegal’s former president, as a candidate to succeed António Guterres as United Nations Secretary-General when his second term ends in 2026.
Sall is the third declared contender, after Rafael Grossi of Argentina and Michelle Bachelet of Chile.
The Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly upon the Security Council’s recommendation – a process that grants veto power to the five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. A candidate requires at least nine of the Council’s 15 votes and no veto to advance.
Though the UN Charter prescribes no regional rules, an informal rotation has long guided selections. Eastern Europe is widely seen as next in line, having never held the post.
Africa has produced two Secretaries-General: Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt (1992-96) and Kofi Annan of Ghana (1997-2006).
During his presidency (2012-24), Sall built a reputation for steady diplomacy within the African Union, advancing mediation, infrastructure finance and climate policy. Whether that record can overcome the geopolitical calculus of the Security Council remains uncertain.
