Macky Sall’s Bid for UN Secretary-General Faces Significant Challenges
Former Senegalese President Macky Sall has encountered substantial resistance from both his home country and the African Union (AU) in his bid to become the next United Nations (UN) Secretary-General. Despite this, Sall continues to push forward with his candidacy, even as numerous obstacles stand in his way.
Sall’s nomination came after an informal deadline set by the President of the United Nations General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, for member states to submit nominations for a new UN Secretary-General expired on April 1. At that point, Sall was the only candidate from outside Latin America on the list. According to regional rotation rules, the position is expected to be filled by someone from Latin America this year. However, Sall’s bid has been met with skepticism and outright rejection from many quarters.
Senegal, where Sall served as president from 2012 to 2024, has distanced itself from his campaign. A note from the country’s mission on March 27, 2026, stated that the government had never endorsed the candidacy and was not involved. Sall has faced criticism for alleged repression of protesters and for concealing the country’s debt, which was confirmed by an IMF review for 2019–2023. His current political rivals, including the Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, have also opposed his bid.
The African Union Commission (AUC) has similarly refused to endorse Sall. In a statement dated March 27, the AU noted that twenty member states had broken the silence on the draft decision regarding Sall’s candidacy, leading to its rejection. The AU faces a credibility test following Burundi’s rushed nomination of Sall, raising concerns about transparency, internal consultation, and decision-making integrity.
The Role of the African Union in the Nomination Process
The AU nominates candidates for the UN Secretary-General through a structured process aimed at ensuring unity behind a single candidate. Member states submit nominations via a note to the AU Commission, which are reviewed by regional blocs, the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC), and the Ministerial Committee on Candidatures. The Executive Council then endorses the candidate to ensure a unified African stance, which is crucial for securing support within the UN Security Council.
Sall’s nomination, however, bypassed these established procedures. Instead of being officially proposed by the AU, it was submitted by Burundi, the current AU chair, through a letter from the Permanent Mission of Burundi to the UN in New York, dated March 2, 2026. This raised serious questions about the legitimacy of the process.
Rwanda’s Foreign Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, criticized the process, calling it a “diktat and disrespect from the chairperson” and warning that AU leadership risked dragging the organization into crisis. While Rwanda’s criticism was interpreted as targeting Burundi, it highlighted deeper tensions within the AU.
Burundi’s envoy to the AU, Willy Nyamitwe, dismissed the criticism as “regrettable in both tone and substance,” insisting that the process had been mischaracterized. The exchange underscored how continental diplomacy is often influenced by regional rivalries.
Legal and Procedural Concerns
Ben Kioko, a former judge of the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, pointed out that neither the Rules of Procedure of the Executive Council of the AU nor those of the AU Assembly contain a mechanism known as a “silence procedure.” While the rules allow for decisions through formal written communications, the use of such a procedure in this case was seen as problematic.
The AU inherited a Ministerial Committee on Candidatures from the Organization of African Unity (OAU), which reviews applications, vets candidates, and makes recommendations for official endorsement. This process is intended to ensure that Africa speaks with one voice and strengthens its influence in global votes.
Despite this, Burundi purported to nominate Sall through a letter from its Permanent Mission to the UN, which did not reflect the AU’s formal process. This action undermined the established procedures and raised questions about the role of the AU Chairperson.
The Broader Implications
Currently, candidates cannot be considered for the position without being nominated by at least one member state and cannot prevail without the recommendation of the Security Council and subsequent approval of the General Assembly. For this reason, the listing of prospective candidates always emphasizes the likelihood of state backing.
A divided Africa, stronger Latin American rivals, and the power politics of the UN Security Council’s five veto powers—China, Russia, the UK, France, and the US—have not yet closed off Sall’s path, but they could leave him with little room to build momentum.
Historically, no African candidate for UN Secretary-General was ever submitted by their own country or any other member state without the unanimous endorsement of the OAU/AU Assembly of Heads of State & Government. As Kioko noted, the first question that Permanent Representatives will ask is whether the AU has endorsed the candidate.
Sall’s candidature without AU endorsement or the support of his country is seen as a non-starter if not just a bad joke. He announced his candidacy on May 30, 2025, and had opportunities to submit his candidacy for consideration by the relevant committees. However, he failed to do so, leaving his bid in limbo.
