Ammon News - The United Arab Emirates has nominated Lana Nusseibeh, a senior diplomat and former ambassador to the United Nations, to succeed Antonio Guterres as UN secretary-general. The move adds a Middle Eastern candidate to a crowded race in which Latin American representation and the prospect of the organization’s first female leader have emerged as central themes.

The UAE’s Foreign Ministry announced its nomination of Nusseibeh on Wednesday, citing her "extensive experience with regard to the United Nations and her wisdom in dealing with current international challenges."

Nusseibeh, who currently serves as the UAE's minister of state at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was the first woman to represent the Emirates as permanent representative to the United Nations. She held the post from 2013 to 2024, a period that included the UAE’s two-year term on the Security Council.

Her nomination comes as the UN seeks a successor to Guterres, whose second five-year term ends Dec. 31. The next secretary-general will take office on Jan. 1, 2027.