“President of the UN General Assembly and President of the Security Council […] officially launched the process of selecting candidates for the post of Secretary General by sending a corresponding letter to member countries. […] The authors of the letter invite member states to nominate their candidates,” the statement says.
The powers of the current UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will expire at the end of 2026.
“The person holding this important position must meet the highest standards of efficiency and competence, as well as demonstrate commitment to the principles of the UN Charter. The candidate must have leadership qualities and professional skills in the field of diplomacy, communications, knowledge of several languages and extensive experience in the field of international relations,” the UN explained.
The organization's news service noted that a candidate can be nominated by a country or group of countries, but each state has the right to nominate only one person.
The new Secretary General will be appointed by the UN General Assembly on the recommendation of the UN Security Council.
On November 26, Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno announced on social network X that his country had already decided on a candidate for the post of UN Secretary General.
“It is my honor and privilege to present today the candidacy of Rafael Grossi for the post of UN Secretary General. Rafael Grossi has received international recognition for the outstanding work he has done as Director General of the IAEA over the past six years,” he wrote.
The Argentine diplomat noted Grossi's “outstanding leadership abilities in the face of serious situations affecting international peace and security.”
“These tools are critical to fulfilling the responsibilities of the Secretary General in the current international environment, which is marked by new challenges,” said Kirno.
According to him, “the UN needs to consolidate reforms that will increase its effectiveness and revive its international prestige.”
Es un honor y un privilegio presentar hoy la candidatura de Rafael Grossi (@rafaelmgrossi) al cargo de Secretario General de las Naciones Unidas.
Rafael Grossi es reconocido internacionalmente por la extraordinaria tarea que viene desempeñando como Director General del…
— Pablo Quirno (@pabloquirno) November 26, 2025
Context
Grossi is a 64-year-old Argentine with a diplomatic background. He has headed the IAEA since December 2019; before that, he was Argentina’s ambassador to Austria for six years.
The current UN Secretary General Guterres is already 76 years old.
The UN Secretary General is elected for five years.
