UN holds first informal vote for Guterres successor

The United Nations Security Council plans to hold its first informal ballot to gauge support for candidates hoping to become the next UN Secretary-General.

Democratic Republic of the Congo’s ambassador to the United Nations, Zénon Mukongo Ngay said the vote, scheduled for Thursday in New York, is intended to provide an early indication of who could succeed António Guterres when his term expires in January 2027.

Congo currently holds the Security Council’s rotating presidency.

The ambassador said the Security Council is responsible for selecting a nominee. A candidate must receive at least nine votes from the council’s 15 members.

He said that remaining five permanent members can block a nomination by exercising its veto.

The successful candidate is then submitted to the UN General Assembly for confirmation, a step that has traditionally been regarded as a formality.
dpa/NAN