Oct 17, 2026

Macky Sall Withdraws from UN Secretary-General Race After Security Council Poll

By Afolabi Olaiya Idowu in news

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Dakar/Marrakech—October 17, 2026—Former Senegalese President Macky Sall has withdrawn his candidacy for the post of United Nations Secretary-General, a day after an informal Security Council straw poll left every remaining contender facing opposition from at least one permanent member.

In a statement released on social media from Marrakech, Morocco, Sall said he had noted the results of the October 16 poll and “hoped to contribute now to the emergence of a consensus candidate within the Security Council.”

Decision After Consultations

Sall explained that he took the decision after consultations with Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, current Chairperson of the African Union, and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Chairperson of ECOWAS.

“I made this decision with a profound sense of responsibility, hoping to contribute to the emergence of a consensus candidacy within the Security Council,” he stated. He added that successive test votes throughout the process had indicated a preference for a candidate from the Latin American and Caribbean region, “and possibly a woman.”

Context of the Race

The October 16 vote was the sixth informal poll since the Security Council began the selection process in July. Members mark each candidate “encourage,” “discourage,” or “no opinion” in secret.

A UN diplomat confirmed that all seven remaining hopefuls received at least one “discourage” vote from a permanent member—effectively a veto.

Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan, who heads the UN Conference on Trade and Development, received the highest number of “encourage” votes but also five “discourage” votes, including two from permanent members.

Other candidates still in the race include Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Argentina’s Rafael Grossi (Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency), Ecuador’s Ivonne A-Baki and María Fernanda Espinosa, and Uganda’s Olara Otunnu—now the sole African still in contention.

Sall, who served as Senegal’s president from 2012 to 2024 and chaired the African Union in 2022–2023, had been nominated by Burundi and later backed by Senegal.

He said his candidacy had been motivated by a desire to place nearly 40 years of public life at the service of the United Nations.

He thanked Ndayishimiye for sponsoring his bid, Faye for supporting it, and the Security Council members who voted in his favour, while affirming his continued commitment to the ideals of peace, security, development, and international cooperation.

Outgoing Secretary-General António Guterres’ second term ends on December 31, 2026.

The Security Council is expected to continue informal consultations aimed at recommending a consensus candidate for endorsement by the General Assembly.

This report is based on Macky Sall’s official statement of October 17, 2026, and contemporaneous reporting on the UN Security Council selection process.