SN Conseil de sécurité votes secrets: Macky Sall absent from straw polls for UN Secretary-General

• The 'straw polls' began on July 30 in New York, but the individuals mentioned are not current contenders for the next UN Secretary-General.
• The voting process involves two stages: an initial phase to gauge global support and a decisive phase where permanent members can veto candidates.
• A single veto from any of the five permanent members is enough to eliminate a candidate permanently.
• A candidacy for UN Secretary-General must avoid offending any of the five permanent members, whose positions remain largely unpredictable.
• The outcome will significantly impact a candidate's chances of becoming the next UN Secretary-General.

A single veto from any of the five permanent members is enough to eliminate a candidate permanently.

The 'straw polls', which are indicative votes cast with secret ballots to determine the candidates for the next UN Secretary-General, began on July 30 in New York. Macky Sall, who served as President of Senegal until April 2024, is not currently among the contenders for the next UN Secretary-General. Olara Otunnu, a Ugandan diplomat, passed away in January 2023. Rafael Grossi is currently the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and Michelle Bachelet concluded her term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2022. None of these individuals are currently listed as candidates for the UN Secretary-General position for the term beginning January 1, 2027. The voting process involves two stages: an initial phase where the 15 members of the UN Security Council vote with identical ballots ('Encourage', 'Discourage', or 'No Opinion') to gauge each candidate's global support without exposing individual state positions. This stage can last several weeks, as seen in previous polls.

The decisive phase follows, where the ballots of the five permanent members (China, US, France, UK, and Russia) are distinguishable from those of the 10 non-permanent members. A single veto from any of these five powers is enough to eliminate a candidate permanently, regardless of their overall score.

The voting system was established in 1981 after a deadlock between China and the US over two other candidates. The process allows for a degree of secrecy while still providing insight into each candidate's global support. However, the influence of the five permanent members cannot be overstated, particularly if their preferred candidate is eliminated by a veto. This raises potential compliance concerns for lawyers representing African countries, as they should monitor the voting process closely to ensure their clients' interests are protected.

The outcome of these straw polls would significantly impact a candidate's chances of becoming the next UN Secretary-General. A candidacy must avoid offending any of the five permanent members, whose positions remain largely unpredictable. The uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump's preference for a candidate adds to the complexity of the situation. As the results are expected to be known in October, African countries should closely watch the voting process and its implications on their interests.

Lawyers representing African countries should watch for potential compliance exposures related to the voting process in the UN Security Council, particularly if their client's preferred candidate is eliminated by a veto from one of the five permanent members.

Source: Original reporting via SenePlus