Turkey has officially nominated the Secretary-General of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Feridun Hadi Sinirlioglu, as the next UN Secretary-General. The candidacy was submitted in a letter from Turkey's permanent representative to the UN, Ahmet Yildiz, to the presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council.
The nomination was signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and comes after another inconclusive unofficial vote in the Security Council. According to the Anadolu Agency, the vote did not produce a candidate around whom the necessary consensus could be formed.
In the letter, Erdogan points out that Sinirlioglu has more than 40 years of diplomatic experience, including as foreign minister and Turkey's representative to the UN. "I believe that Ambassador Sinirlioglu has the experience and culture of consensus needed to lead the United Nations," the Turkish president said.
Long-time diplomat and OSCE chief
Sinirlioglu served as Turkey's foreign minister in 2015 and was the country's permanent representative to the UN from 2016 to 2023. In 2023, he was appointed to lead an independent assessment of Afghanistan. Since December 2024, he has served as Secretary General of the OSCE, an organization with 57 member states, including the United States, Russia and Ukraine.
Turkey's candidacy was publicly prepared in October, but Ankara had not initially submitted it officially. The Associated Press reported that diplomatic talks surrounding Sinirlioglu have intensified amid the lack of a clear favorite in the race.
What's next in the election
The candidate for secretary-general must receive at least nine votes in the 15-member Security Council and not be blocked by a veto from any of the five permanent members - the United States, China, France, Russia or Britain. Following the Council's recommendation, the final appointment is made by the 193-member UN General Assembly.
Other nominees include Costa Rican diplomat Rebecca Greenspan, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi, former Senegalese President Macky Sall, Guyana's ambassador to the UN Caroline Rodriguez-Birket, former General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Ugandan politician Olara Otunnu and Ecuadorian diplomat Yvonne A-Baki.
The term of current Secretary-General António Guterres expires on December 31, 2026. The next UN chief is expected to take office on January 1, 2027.
Sources: aa.com.tr, apnews.com, turkiye.un.org