Several human rights organizations have formally urged member states to reject Lana Nusseibeh, a United Arab Emirates diplomat, for the position of UN Secretary-General, citing allegations of the UAE's financial support for paramilitary forces in Sudan.
Nusseibeh, a 48-year-old envoy, is seeking to become the first woman and only the second Arab to hold the UN's top diplomatic post. Her nomination has faced scrutiny, not only regarding her country's normalization with Israel but also concerning Abu Dhabi's alleged involvement in the ongoing conflict in Sudan, which began in 2023 between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The UAE has consistently denied accusations of funding the RSF.
"I think that Lana Nusseibeh is utterly inappropriate as a candidate for UN Secretary General," stated Ken Roth, executive director emeritus of Human Rights Watch, to journalists. He added, "Not just once, but repeatedly she has been asked about the UAE's role in arming and supporting the RSF and she just blatantly denies it without regard to the facts."
In response to the concerns, Nusseibeh announced she has taken a leave of absence from her ministerial post within the UAE to "be mindful of the obligations of independence" required for the UN role. She acknowledged that "the horrific conflict in Sudan will be the litmus test of the success of an incoming Secretary General." Kate Ferguson, co-director of the British NGO Protection Approaches, echoed concerns about Nusseibeh's independence, stating, "There is not, as far as I have seen, sufficient evidence that this candidate is independent from the state from which she comes."
Candidates for Secretary-General are expected to demonstrate independence from their home governments, given the international nature of the role. Nusseibeh is a seasoned diplomat who previously served as the UAE's Permanent Representative to the UN from 2013 to 2024, the first woman to occupy that position. Addressing the situation in Sudan, Nusseibeh described the loss of life as a tragedy and the atrocities committed by the RSF as "atrocious." She expressed support for UN fact-finding missions aimed at accountability and transitional justice, emphasizing that the "first thing the global organization must do is stop the conflict."
Securing the position of UN Secretary-General requires a candidate to obtain at least nine out of fifteen votes on the Security Council, without facing a veto from any of its five permanent members: the United States, the United Kingdom, China, France, and Russia.
