All articles tagged with #security council
Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica leads the fourth informal Security Council straw poll for the next UN Secretary-General with 10 'encourage' votes, though three 'discourage' votes remain. The race lacks a clear consensus, as the five permanent members have not revealed their positions. A fifth poll is expected in October, potentially using color-coded ballots to distinguish permanent member votes.
The UN Security Council held its fourth informal straw poll on September 29 to select a successor for Secretary-General António Guterres, who leaves office on December 31. Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan remains the frontrunner, though no candidate has secured the nine affirmative votes required for a formal recommendation. The field has narrowed to seven candidates after Chile’s Michelle Bachelet withdrew, and the council is expected to move to color-coded ballots in October to clarify support from permanent members.
Seven candidates are vying to replace Antonio Guterres as UN secretary-general, with contenders signaling tough reform stances while trying to avoid alienating the U.S., China, Russia and Europe in a bid to win Washington’s backing. The race unfolds amid U.S. frustration over budgetary constraints and calls for the UN to be more efficient, including through a possible reshaping of agencies; the emergence of the U.S.-backed Board of Peace underscores the pressure for a leader with political clout to navigate great-power dynamics and global conflicts.
Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet has withdrawn from the race to become UN secretary-general, narrowing the field to seven candidates as Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan leads informal polling; the UN Security Council will nominate a single candidate for General Assembly approval, though more entrants could join the race.
Former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet has withdrawn from the race to become UN secretary-general after a third informal Security Council straw poll yielded only one 'encourage' vote, signaling she cannot overcome the nine-vote threshold. Rebeca Grynspan leads the field with nine encouraging votes, followed by Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, with others including Rafael Grossi, Macky Sall and Maria Fernanda Espinosa still in contention as the race moves toward a General Assembly decision.
In the UN Security Council's third secret straw poll for the next secretary-general, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica leads with nine 'encourage' votes but also five 'discourage' and one 'no opinion,' with no final consensus yet as candidates vie for a post that requires nine encourages and no veto from a permanent member; other contenders such as Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett and Rafael Grossi remain in the mix, Ivonne A-Baki has entered, and former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet has withdrawn (Sept. 19 update). A fourth straw poll could follow after the General Assembly's high-level week, but the process remains opaque and no front-runner has emerged.
Iran condemned its exclusion from a Vienna IAEA board meeting after a U.S. objection blocked an exemption for a designated official; Tehran says the snub undermines diplomatic efforts on its nuclear program, while the IAEA remains blocked from access to sites bombed in 2025 and Western officials fear a hidden weapons program. The IAEA board has referred Iran to the U.N. Security Council, a move Iran rejects as unfounded, as it insists its program is peaceful.
The IAEA has referred Iran to the UN Security Council for alleged non-compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, citing missing information on Iran's uranium stockpile and restricted access for inspectors; the resolution was backed by 23 countries and eight abstentions, while China and Russia opposed, and Iran blames US-Israeli strikes for inspection disruption as it maintains its program is peaceful.
UNICEF says six children and seven women were released by a gang that had kidnapped more than 50 people after an attack on Kenscoff near Port-au-Prince; among the released are a child under two, a 7-year-old and two teenagers. The incident prompted a U.N. Security Council emergency meeting as the U.N.-backed gang suppression force is discussed; about 2,600 people were forced to flee their homes, part of Haiti's displacement crisis of around 1.5 million internally displaced people.
In the UN Security Council’s second informal straw poll for secretary-general, Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett of Guyana rose to first place with eight encouraging votes, while Uganda’s Olara Otunnu posted the largest gain; however, no candidate secured the nine affirmative votes needed to command a lead, and the race remains open with ongoing polling and no announced date for the next ballot.
Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan led the Security Council’s first secret straw poll for the 2026 UN secretary-general race, topping with 10 'encourage,' 1 'discourage' and 4 'no opinion' votes; Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett of Guyana came second with 9 encourage, 2 discourage and 4 no opinions, as seven candidates remain in the contest and more rounds are planned, with votes kept confidential to gauge broad support and potential veto risk.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said Israel's military actions against Hezbollah are ongoing and warned Iran of a forceful response if it escalates; while Trump urged restraint, a broader US-Iran agreement remains unsigned with a tentative 60-day framework, leaving key issues such as Iran's uranium stockpile, the Strait of Hormuz, sanctions relief, and Lebanon's future unresolved.
Germany and Austria are in a high-stakes bid for one of two UN Security Council non-permanent seats, with Portugal seen as the likely winner for the other. The contest hinges on secret-ballot rounds and aggressive behind-the-scenes diplomacy, as Berlin argues for its global influence and Vienna plays up its neutral, smaller-state status to sway votes.
Russia condemned the Ukrainian drone strike on Starobilsk Vocational School in occupied Luhansk as a 'monstrous crime,' requesting an emergency UN Security Council session after at least six people were killed and dozens injured, including students aged 14–18; Moscow opened a terrorism probe and pledged retaliation, while Kyiv’s response was not immediately available.
The UN Security Council prepared votes on two draft resolutions addressing the Middle East crisis triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran: Bahrain-led text on behalf of the GCC and Jordan condemns Iran and calls for de-escalation, including guarantees for navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, while a shorter Russian draft urges restraint and negotiations without naming states. Bahrain’s draft drew broad co-sponsorship; after consultations it proceeded in blue. Post-script: on 11 March, Bahrain‑led resolution was adopted 13 in favour with 2 abstentions (China and Russia) and wide support (135 co-sponsors); Russia’s draft failed to reach the nine votes needed for adoption (4 in favour, 2 against, 9 abstentions).