Members of the Sudanese diaspora and international human rights organizations have denounced the candidacy of Emirati diplomat Lana Nusseibeh for the position of United Nations Secretary-General. The criticism centers on her repeated denial of accusations that the UAE is fueling the war in Sudan by providing support to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Nusseibeh was nominated last week to succeed António Guterres, whose second five-year term concludes this year, disrupting a selection process that had previously reached an impasse.
For years, rights groups have documented evidence of UAE backing for the RSF, a group accused of committing atrocities during its war against the Sudanese army. This includes an October 2025 attack on El Fasher, which UN officials described as having the hallmarks of genocide. Nusseibeh, who served as the UAE's representative to the UN until 2024, has consistently echoed her government's blanket denials regarding these allegations.
Hala al-Karib, a Sudanese pro-democracy and women's rights activist and regional director for the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa, argued that Nusseibeh lacks a track record of acting independently from her country's role in Sudan. Al-Karib stated that Security Council endorsement of the nominee would essentially amount to denying the genocidal acts committed by the RSF in El Fasher.
Criticism was further amplified during a virtual briefing hosted by the human rights advocacy group Avaaz on Tuesday. Ibrahim Alduma, co-founder of the Sudan Action Hub and a survivor from El Fasher, warned that Nusseibeh's success would erode faith in the UN. He questioned how the organization could maintain credibility with victims of war and international criminals if it elected a candidate perceived as obstructing justice for the people of Sudan.
Husam Mahjoub, co-founder of independent media outlet Sudan Bukra TV, added that electing the UAE's senior diplomat would hand leadership of UN institutions to the government's chief defender at a critical moment when civilians need accountability. Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, told the briefing that Nusseibeh's blatant denial of facts regarding the UAE's role in arming and supporting the RSF makes her unsuitable for the role.
On Wednesday, Bruno Stagno Ugarte, chief advocacy officer at Human Rights Watch, stated that Nusseibeh's dismissal of UN reports documenting these links has seriously undermined justice and accountability for victims. In response to the controversy, Nusseibeh issued a statement on Tuesday asserting that, if elected, she would support UN fact-finding missions for accountability and transitional justice regarding the Sudan war. She described RSF crimes as "atrocious" and noted she had taken a leave of absence from her ministerial post in the UAE to ensure independence, calling the conflict in Sudan a litmus test for any incoming Secretary-General.
Kate Ferguson, co-founder of Protection Approaches, characterized the nomination as an "autocratic capture" of a significant multilateral institution, citing a lack of evidence that the candidate is independent from her state. Kenneth Roth reiterated at the briefing that the RSF's military success was largely due to UAE support, which facilitated mass atrocities beyond a simple civil war.
To secure the position, a candidate must obtain at least nine affirmative votes from the 15 Security Council members and avoid vetoes from the five permanent members: the US, UK, China, France, or Russia. An informal poll earlier this month identified former Costa Rican Vice-President Rebeca Grynspan as the narrow frontrunner, though she and all other candidates received two or more opposing votes from permanent members. Diplomats are currently negotiating the format and timing of the next straw poll, which could occur as soon as Friday.
Sources: The Guardian World.