Ugandan diplomat Otunnu joins race to become next UN head

July 26 - Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu has joined the contest to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations, the seventh contender to succeed Antonio Guterres when he steps down at the end of this year.

Otunnu, a former U.N. under-secretary-general who served as a special representative for children and armed conflict, was nominated by Uganda in a letter on Friday to the presidents of the U.N. General Assembly and Security Council.

At 75, he is the oldest of the current candidates for the role, which Guterres has held for two five-year terms.

Guterres' successor faces the task of revitalising an organisation in crisis and declining stature that is under increasing pressure to reform a bloated, costly bureaucracy and cut duplication across its many agencies.

In his vision statement, Otunnu stressed the need to continue institutional reforms and said he would give immediate priority to efforts to help end major international conflicts. He also pledged work to establish a body to oversee U.N. work on AI and highlighted the need for climate change action that does not undermine economic development.

SEVEN CANDIDATES NOW IN THE RACE

The other candidates are Rafael Grossi of Argentina, director-general of the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency; former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet; Rebeca Grynspan, a former vice president of Costa Rica; Maria Fernanda Espinosa, a former foreign affairs and defence minister of Ecuador; Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, a former foreign Minister of Guyana, and Macky Sall, a former president of Senegal.

The selection process is expected to start in earnest this week with straw polls in the 15-nation Security Council aimed at whittling down the field. Other candidates can still join the race.

Diplomats say there is no obvious frontrunner, although there has been a widespread view it is Latin America's turn to provide the U.N. leader and there has been support for a first woman in the job.

Experts say the key to success will be to avoid a veto by one of the five permanent members of the Security Council, particularly China, Russia or the United States. REUTERS