Lana Nusseibeh, the former UAE ambassador to the United Nations, has emerged as a late contender in the race to succeed António Guterres as the world body’s secretary general. Nusseibeh, 48, brings a background of high-level diplomatic engagement, most notably her work in securing humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza, an effort that has earned her endorsements from key figures and the state of Palestine.
Born in 1978 in Abu Dhabi to Zaki Nusseibeh, who had emigrated from Jerusalem following the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, Lana Nusseibeh is the niece of the distinguished intellectual Sari Nusseibeh. Educated at Cambridge University, her candidacy is being promoted by supporters who view her as a bridge-builder. Brett McGurk, a former national security adviser in the Biden administration, described her as an "inspired choice" for the role, citing her effectiveness in making the UAE a leading global provider of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Nickolay Mladenov, who heads the Gaza Board of Peace, praised her as a diplomat who systematically builds bridges where others cannot.
Despite this support, Nusseibeh’s path to the secretary general position faces significant hurdles. She is currently confronting a fierce backlash from human rights activists who point to the UAE’s domestic record and allegations regarding the country’s involvement in the conflict in Sudan. Critics, including Kenneth Roth, the former executive director of Human Rights Watch, have attacked her candidacy over her denials that the UAE provided military, logistical, or financial support to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. A January 2024 UN panel of experts report previously identified allegations of arms smuggling from the UAE to the RSF as credible, though the UAE maintains it supports a civilian-led government in Sudan.
Beyond the human rights criticism, Nusseibeh faces procedural challenges. A group of Latin American and Caribbean states, CELAC, has formally objected to her late entry, arguing that it disrupts a consensus that was forming around their region holding the top UN post. Meanwhile, the current candidate field remains fluid. Other contenders include Argentine diplomat Rafael Grossi, UN envoy from Guyana Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu, and Ecuador’s former foreign minister María Fernanda Espinosa. While Guterres is set to step down at the end of the year, another potential candidate, Rebeca Grynspan, has faced objections from two permanent members of the security council, leaving the race for the UN leadership in a state of flux.
