Costa Rica’s Grynspan extends lead in race to become next UN secretary general

The National · Adla Massoud · 2026-11-05 20:38 UTC

The 15-member Security Council is working on a successor to Antonio Guterres, whose second five-year term ends in December

Former Costa Rican vice president Rebeca Grynspan strengthened her lead in the race to become the next UN secretary general on Thursday, as diplomats try to break a months-long deadlock over the UN's leadership.

Ms Grynspan received 12 "encourage" votes, three "discourage" and no "no opinion" in the closed-door straw poll of the Security Council, according to diplomats. She secured 11 encourage votes in the previous round.

Latvia’s UN ambassador Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, who holds the council’s rotating presidency this month, confirmed the ballot had taken place but declined to disclose the results.

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