KAMPALA — Olara Otunnu is a candidate for United Nations secretary-general as the selection process enters its active phase. Uganda backs Olara Otunnu's candidacy, positioning him as a contender despite regional traditions that favor other candidates.

Olara Otunnu is traveling in New York to meet delegations and engage in interactive dialogue with the U.N. General Assembly and the U.N. Security Council. His presence in the city coincides with ongoing diplomatic efforts to determine the successor to Antonio Guterres, whose term as United Nations secretary-general ends at the end of 2026.

Six other candidates are seeking to succeed Antonio Guterres as United Nations secretary-general. The field includes Macky Sall of Senegal, Michelle Bachelet of Chile, Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, and Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett of Guyana. There is no clear front-runner for the U.N. secretary-general position, creating an open contest among the seven aspirants.

The job of U.N. secretary-general tends to rotate by region as a tradition. It is Latin America’s turn for the U.N. secretary-general position in 2026. However, there is no formal obstacle to candidates from regions other than Latin America for the U.N. secretary-general position. Uganda nominated Olara Otunnu several weeks after other candidates began their auditions for the role.

Angelo Izama, a Ugandan analyst with the Fanaka Kwawote think tank, characterized the dynamics of the race. "Otunnu is the dark horse candidate," Izama said. He noted that Otunnu represents a viable alternative if regional preferences shift or if vetoes block other contenders.

"If the top Latin American candidate is vetoed, he is going to be the fall-back candidate," Izama added. The analyst suggested that Otunnu’s profile allows him to navigate the complex political landscape of the Security Council.

The U.N. Security Council selects the secretary-general through a series of straw polls. In U.N. Security Council straw polls, members vote to "encourage", "discourage" or express "no opinion" on each contender. The first straw poll for the U.N. secretary-general selection took place on 30 July. Later rounds of U.N. Security Council straw polls use color-coded ballots to reveal whether any of the five permanent members intend to exercise their veto.

The U.N. Security Council has 15 members. The five veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council are the U.S. Russia, China, United Kingdom, and France. Following the Security Council's recommendation, the U.N. General Assembly must give final approval for the secretary-general.

The U.N. General Assembly has 193 members. The successful candidate for U.N. secretary-general is expected to begin work on Jan. 1.

Olara Otunnu is 75 years old and brings extensive experience to the race. He was educated at Oxford and Harvard Law School. His diplomatic career includes service as Uganda’s representative to the U.N. between 1980 and 1985.

Olara Otunnu briefly served as Uganda's foreign minister in the 1980s, specifically serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1985 to 1986. He also served for one year as president of the U.N. Security Council.

During his tenure as president of the Security Council, Olara Otunnu designed the system of straw balloting. The system of straw balloting is known as the Otunnu Formula. The Otunnu Formula was first deployed in 1981 with the selection of Javier Pérez de Cuéllar as U.N. secretary-general. This mechanism remains central to the current selection process.

Olara Otunnu previously sought the top U.N. post in 1997. He was considered a favorite to replace Boutros Boutros-Ghali as U.N. secretary-general in 1997 but was blocked by Ugandan authorities. At that time, Olara Otunnu was not on good terms with the government of President Yoweri Museveni in 1997. Kofi Annan won the position of U.N. secretary-general in 1997 instead.

Following that outcome, Kofi Annan appointed Olara Otunnu as U.N. under-secretary-general and special representative for children and armed conflict. During this period, he also served as president of the International Peace Institute in New York in 1997. His work in this role earned him the Sydney Peace Prize in 2005.

Olara Otunnu also has a history in domestic Ugandan politics. He unsuccessfully contested the Ugandan presidency in 2011. Adonia Ayebare is Uganda’s permanent representative to the U.N. and supports the current bid.

Regarding the priorities of the office, Olara Otunnu emphasized the core mission of the organization. "Even though the U.N. is now occupied with a number of issues across the board, the most important single mandate for the U.N. remains the issue of peace and security," Otunnu said.

The selection of the next United Nations secretary-general involves a complex interplay of regional traditions and Security Council dynamics. While it is Latin America’s turn for the position in 2026, the absence of a clear front-runner and the potential for vetoes by permanent members create uncertainty. The process requires a candidate to secure encouragement from the 15-member Security Council, including no vetoes from the U.S. Russia, China, United Kingdom, or France, before gaining final approval from the 193-member General Assembly.

Olara Otunnu’s candidacy introduces a figure with deep institutional knowledge, having designed the straw ballot system used in the current selection process. His emergence as a potential fallback candidate shows the strategic calculations member states make when regional favorites face opposition. The outcome will determine who leads the organization as Antonio Guterres’ term concludes at the end of 2026, with the successor expected to assume duties on Jan. 1.

Why It Matters

Otunnu's candidacy challenges the regional rotation tradition favoring Latin America in 2026, introducing a viable alternative if top contenders face vetoes. As the designer of the straw balloting system used to select the secretary-general, his potential selection would mark a unique precedent in U.N. leadership history. The open contest among seven aspirants means his role as a fallback candidate could determine the outcome if political deadlock occurs.