Macky Sall
Senegal’s former president, Macky Sall, has withdrawn his candidacy for the position of United Nations secretary-general, a day after all seven contenders received at least one veto in an informal Security Council poll.
Sall announced his decision on Saturday in a social media statement, saying he hoped to contribute to the emergence of a consensus candidate.
Candidates need at least nine votes from the Security Council’s 15 members to advance, without opposition from any of its five permanent members: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.
In the first straw poll held in July, Sall secured six votes in favour, seven against and two abstentions.
The informal polls are not binding, and further rounds are expected before the final ballot later this year.
Costa Rica’s Rebecca Grynspan emerged as the frontrunner in Friday’s poll, securing seven positive votes, although she also received five votes against, including two from permanent members.
Senegal initially declined to support Sall’s bid, who was nominated by Burundi, but President Bassirou Diomaye Faye endorsed his candidacy in July following a meeting between the two men.
The UN secretary-general position traditionally rotates among geographical regions, with Latin America considered the region due to produce the next leader, leaving most of the current contenders from the region.
Sall’s withdrawal leaves Uganda’s Olara Otunnu as the only African candidate in the race.
