Ivonne Abdel-Baki has officially entered the race to succeed the UN Secretary-General. AFP archive photo
While Rebeca Grynspan has the votes, Ivonne Leila Juez Abuchacra de Baki might hold a card far more valuable: Washington. But the Ecuadorian diplomat of Lebanese descent, now officially a candidate to succeed António Guterres — whose term ends on Dec. 31, 2026 — clearly wants to avoid being seen as merely a product of her American connections. In the statement launching her candidacy on X, she declares a broader ambition: to return the U.N. to its original purpose — peace — while shifting its culture from procedure to results. Her entry changes the dynamic of a race where the ranking of candidates may ultimately matter less than their ability to avoid a veto by the five permanent members of the Security Council. Read more Who is Ivonne Baki, the Lebanese-Ecuadorian who could head the UN? The first straw poll — an informal vote — had...
While Rebeca Grynspan has the votes, Ivonne Leila Juez Abuchacra de Baki might hold a card far more valuable: Washington. But the Ecuadorian diplomat of Lebanese descent, now officially a candidate to succeed António Guterres — whose term ends on Dec. 31, 2026 — clearly wants to avoid being seen as merely a product of her American connections. In the statement launching her candidacy on X, she declares a broader ambition: to return the U.N. to its original purpose — peace — while shifting its culture from procedure to results. Her entry changes the dynamic of a race where the ranking of candidates may ultimately matter less than their ability to avoid a veto by the five permanent members of the Security Council. Read more Who is Ivonne Baki, the Lebanese-Ecuadorian who could head the UN? The first straw poll — an informal...
