Ugandan UN Leadership Hopeful Olara Otunnu Calls for Urgent Reform

Olara Otunnu, a veteran Ugandan diplomat and former United Nations under-secretary-general, has emphasized the critical need for reform within the UN as the organization faces mounting global challenges and internal inefficiencies.

Drawing inspiration from the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, Otunnu highlighted the UN’s role in bridging international divides, stating, "Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy."

At 75, Otunnu is among the oldest candidates vying to succeed António Guterres as UN Secretary-General. The contest also includes Ecuador’s Ivonne Baki, who is the same age but younger by several months.

Otunnu underscored that reform is no longer optional but an urgent necessity to prevent the UN from becoming ineffective. "Without reform, the institution is at grave risk," he warned, urging the UN to move beyond business as usual.

The selection process continues under Denmark’s chairmanship of the UN Security Council. A preliminary straw poll at the end of July placed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan narrowly ahead, followed by candidates from Guyana and Argentina.

Additional candidates include former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, former Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa, and former Senegalese President Macky Sall. The Security Council’s five permanent members hold veto power, making consensus critical but challenging given divergent global perspectives.

Multiple rounds of polling are expected to extend into late September or early October, with the possibility of new candidates entering the race.