Macky Sall Withdraws, an Unprecedented Scenario Looms at the UN

Macky Sall announced on October 17, 2026, that he was withdrawing from the race to become United Nations secretary-general, as António Guterres’s succession is shaped by geopolitical rivalries and disagreements over the next leader’s profile. The article raises the possibility that every candidate could face opposition from at least one permanent member of the Security Council, prompting successive withdrawals and an unprecedented crisis. The debate includes geographical rotation, which would in principle favor Latin America, while some African countries dispute its consistent application and note that Boutros Boutros-Ghali was the only African secretary-general since independence. A crowded field of Latin American candidates, including two Ecuadorian contenders, one of whom is named as Yvonne Baki, is also complicating the race.