UN: Why Macky Sall, Africa’s hope, chose to withdraw rather than face defeat

Macky Sall announced in Marrakech that he was withdrawing his candidacy for UN secretary-general before the final decision. He said informal Security Council ballots pointed to a preference for a candidate from Latin America and the Caribbean, possibly a woman. His candidacy, sponsored by Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye and supported by Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, failed to shift that diplomatic momentum. The Security Council recommends a candidate to the General Assembly, while informal ballots gauge the balance of support.