By Ghana News 
Former Senegalese President Macky Sall faces an uphill battle in his bid to become the next United Nations Secretary General. The 15-member UN Security Council completed its first confidential straw poll to test candidate support, and early results reveal significant opposition to his candidacy.
The secret ballot, held on July 30, saw Sall receive seven “discourage” votes alongside six “encourage” votes and two abstentions. Former UN Economic Commission for Africa chief Carlos Lopes noted that the results highlight structural weaknesses in Sall’s campaign, including lingering domestic division inside Senegal over his political legacy.
A major factor weighing against Sall’s candidacy is the UN’s unwritten custom of regional rotation. With two previous African leaders having served as Secretary-General, international diplomats broadly favor candidates from Latin America and the Caribbean for this election cycle.
Diplomatic observers also point out that the push for the UN’s first female Secretary-General is gaining massive momentum. Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan leads the race with ten “encourage” votes, closely followed by Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett with nine.
In addition, Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu entered the race late and received five “discourage” votes, leaving both African contenders without formal African Union endorsement. The UN Security Council will conduct further voting rounds throughout August and September to select a nominee before António Guterres completes his term on December
Also Read: Relief As DR Congo Releases First Prisoners To M23