Macky Sall UN Sec Gen Bid: Mixed Signals in Initial Vote

• Macky Sall received a mixed signal in his bid for UN Secretary General position.
• Initial informal vote ranked him behind four other candidates, including Rebeca Grynspan and Rafael Grossi.
• Experts believe Sall still has a chance to secure the top job despite initial setback.
• UN Security Council requires consensus among members to appoint new Secretary General.

"It's a test, but it's not determining," said Moussa Diaw, emphasizing that the selection process is far from over.

Macky Sall, the former President of Senegal, received a mixed signal in his bid for the UN Secretary General position. In an informal vote held on July 30, 2026, by the UN Security Council, he was ranked behind four other candidates, including Rebeca Grynspan from Costa Rica and Rafael Grossi from Argentina. Despite this initial setback, experts believe that Sall still has a chance to secure the top job. According to Moussa Diaw, a professor of international relations at the University of Gaston Berger in Saint-Louis, the outcome of the vote is not decisive. "It's a test, but it's not determining," he said, emphasizing that the selection process is far from over.

The UN Secretary General position requires consensus among Security Council members to be appointed. This means that even if Sall performs poorly in future votes, he can still be nominated by the Council if a consensus emerges. The process of designation will continue with further informal votes until the autumn, when the Security Council will recommend a candidate to the UN General Assembly for validation. The selection is not based on geographical considerations, but rather on the skills, profile, and vision of the candidate, as well as their ability to promote multilateralism.

The outcome of Sall's bid has significant implications for African governments and international relations. Lawyers advising these governments should be aware of the evolving dynamics of the UN Secretary General selection process, where a consensus among Security Council members may ultimately decide the outcome. The fact that no woman has ever led the United Nations could also play in favor of Rebeca Grynspan's candidacy, who is well-placed after the first test vote. However, Moussa Diaw cautions that "nothing is won yet" and that the procedure will continue until its term.

Lawyers advising African governments on international relations and diplomacy should watch for the evolving dynamics of the UN Secretary General selection process, where a consensus among Security Council members may ultimately decide the outcome.

Source: Original reporting via Le Monde