Sall’s announcement as reproduced by Senegal’s RTS was compared with AFP reporting carried by Channels Television. Informal ballot details are attributed to AFP’s diplomatic source; no official ballot record was examined. The UN Charter was checked for the appointment procedure.
Sall steps aside after the latest poll
Former Senegalese president Macky Sall withdrew on October 17 from the race to become UN secretary-general, saying he hoped to make room for a candidate who could secure agreement in the Security Council.
In his announcement, reproduced by Senegal’s public broadcaster RTS, Sall said he had consulted Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye and Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye after the council’s October 16 informal vote. He said successive polls suggested a preference for someone from Latin America and the Caribbean, possibly a woman.
The withdrawal follows a poll in which all seven contenders received at least one discouraging vote from a permanent council member, AFP reported, citing a UN diplomat. Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan received the most encouraging votes but also five discouraging votes, two from permanent members, according to that account.
A recommendation must precede appointment
An informal poll tests support; it does not appoint the UN’s next leader. Under Article 97 of the UN Charter, the General Assembly appoints the secretary-general on the Security Council’s recommendation.
A candidate needs at least nine votes in the 15-member council and must avoid a veto from any of its five permanent members. That means leading the field numerically is not enough if a permanent member remains opposed.
The next secretary-general will succeed António Guterres, whose second five-year term ends on December 31. Sall thanked the leaders who had supported his bid and said he remained committed to international cooperation and dialogue despite withdrawing.
Sources
3 references
- RTSONU : Macky Sall se retire de la course au secrétariat généralSenegalese public broadcaster; reproduces Sall’s announcement · 17 October 2026
- AFP via Channels TelevisionEx-Senegal President Macky Sall Withdraws As Candidate For UN Secretary GeneralIndependent reporting; AFP syndication · 17 October 2026
- United NationsCharter, Chapter XV: Article 97Primary legal text on appointment of the secretary-general · Page updated 4 May 2026
