Michelle Bachelet’s nomination as a candidate in the upcoming selection process for UN Secretary-General was announced at the UN General Assembly on 23 September by Chilean President Gabriel Boric. On the occasion, Boric remarked: "Michelle Bachelet is not only a widely known and respected figure on the global stage. She is a woman whose life story is deeply consistent with the values that inspire this organization. She has served twice as Chile's president and was, of course, the first woman to do so".
Rebeca Grynspan’s nomination was announced on 10 October by Costa Rica’s President Rodrigo Chaves. President Chaves indicated: “We trust that the career and commitment of Rebeca Grynspan, who has very broad experience in issues of development, international cooperation and regional leadership, will significantly contribute to strengthening multilateralism.”
1 for 8 Billion welcomes the beginning of public campaigning for Guterres' successor and praises Chile and Costa Rica for making the early announcement of strong women leaders as contenders for the role of the next Secretary-General. Ms Bachelet is a former President of Chile and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Ms Grynspan is a former Vice President of Costa Rican and current Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD)
1 for 8 Billion advocates for the appointment of a woman SG who can lead the organization out of its current crisis situation. Chile and Costa Rica’s move is a promising sign that states will listen to the crescendo of global opinion on the need to break the 80 year chain of exclusive male leadership in this office - and we hope other countries will follow suit to set the stage for an important conversation on the future of multilateralism and the UN's role. We need a leader who can summon the maximum normative power possible and use it to reinvigorate the multilateral system - this cannot happen while the UN continues to be seen as an 80 year symbol of inequality.
Beyond Bachelet and Grynspan, it is reported that Rafael Grossi from Argentina is attempting to secure support for his own nomination. However, it is unclear whether Grossi has the support of any member state - a necessary requirement to become an official candidate in the upcoming race.
What happens next?
There can be no official candidates until the race is formally initiated in a joint letter from the Presidents of the General Assembly and Security Council. This letter will be sent in the last quarter of 2026, in keeping with a recent General Assembly resolution which improved the structure and accountability of the upcoming race.
To be considered an official candidate, an individual must be nominated by at least one UN member state (the nominee does not need to have citizenship of the nominating state(s)). As part of the nomination the candidate should submit their curriculum vitae, their vision statement and their financial disclosures detailing the the extents and sources of any funds associated with their candidature. In addition, candidates with existing UN positions should consider suspending their work in the United Nations system during the campaign, with a view to avoiding any conflict of interest that may arise from their functions and adjacent advantages
1 for 8 Billion does not take a position on individual candidates - rather, we support an open, fair, inclusive recruitment process geared towards finding the most appropriate candidate for the job featuring qualified candidates from different regions and backgrounds.
For more information on possible candidates for the upcoming race see our candidates and speculation page.