Senegal–UN: Macky Sall withdraws, Africa loses its foothold

Former Senegalese president Macky Sall has officially withdrawn his candidacy for UN secretary-general. In a statement dated October 17, 2026, from Marrakech, he acknowledged that negotiations with the Security Council powers were no longer going in his favor. An informal vote on October 16 sealed the fate of his bid and cleared the way for a consensus candidate from Latin America.