The process to elect the next United Nations secretary-general formally kicked off as member states were asked to nominate candidates to take over the role from January 1, 2027, Reuters reports.
In a joint letter, the 15-member Security Council and the president of the 193-member General Assembly invited nominations, marking the start of the race to replace Antonio Guterres.
"Noting with regret that no woman has ever held the position of Secretary-General, and convinced of the need to guarantee equal opportunities for women and men in gaining access to senior decision-making positions, member states are encouraged to strongly consider nominating women as candidates," they wrote, according to Reuters.
"We note the importance of regional diversity in the selection of Secretaries-General."
The 15-member Security Council will formally recommend a candidate to the 193-member General Assembly for election as the 10th U.N. secretary-general later next year.
Publicly declared candidates for the role include Chile's former President Michelle Bachelet, the former Vice President of Costa Rica Rebeca Grynspan, and Argentinian diplomat Rafael Grossi, who is currently the IAEA Director General.
Ultimately, the five permanent veto-wielding council members - the United States, Russia, Britain, China and France - must agree on a candidate.
