Rights monitors raise concerns over senior UAE diplomat bid for next UN boss

Human rights monitors oppose Nusseibeh’s candidacy because she is a senior UAE diplomat and has defended her government’s foreign policy. They say the next UN Secretary-General must be able to hold powerful states accountable, including states linked to alleged abuses. Sudan’s war makes that test especially urgent.

Kenneth Roth, former Human Rights Watch executive director, said Nusseibeh “blatantly” denied the UAE’s alleged role in arming and supporting the RSF. A UN fact-finding mission said foreign weapons, technology, fighters and logistical networks, including people and entities in the UAE, are helping sustain the conflict.

Nusseibeh has promised to make Sudan a top priority and support UN investigations, accountability and transitional justice. Critics remain concerned that electing the UAE’s senior diplomat could place a government’s chief defender in charge when Sudanese civilians need impartial international scrutiny most.

The UN Secretary-General leads the United Nations’ international civil service and represents its central diplomatic voice. The office helps coordinate UN agencies, bring conflicts to the world’s attention, support mediation and advocate for civilian protection. It does not command national armies, but it can shape priorities and mobilize political pressure.

During Sudan’s war, a Secretary-General could support fact-finding missions, push for a ceasefire and encourage an inclusive political process. Nusseibeh said she would be a “risk-taker” and “prime mover” in mediation, while backing accountability and transitional justice. These tools matter when millions are displaced and atrocities are reported.

The office cannot act alone. The Security Council controls many binding decisions, while the General Assembly represents all 193 UN members. The Secretary-General therefore depends on member states for authority, funding and cooperation. The choice of leader can still influence how forcefully the UN responds to crises.

Sudan’s war erupted in April 2023 after a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, or RSF. The Armed Forces are Sudan’s regular military. The RSF is a powerful paramilitary force. The article identifies the conflict as a struggle between these two sides, but does not detail their full organization or commanders.

The UAE is accused of supporting the RSF. A UN fact-finding mission reported that foreign weapons, military technology, fighters and logistical networks are helping sustain the war, including through individuals and entities in the UAE. Nusseibeh has denied the UAE’s role in arming and supporting the RSF.

This alleged outside support matters because it can prolong fighting and complicate accountability. Nusseibeh says RSF atrocities are atrocious and supports UN fact-finding work. The article does not establish that the UAE government itself supplied every item, but it records the allegations and the UAE-linked connections identified by the mission.

Sudan’s war has displaced more than 14 million people and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Displacement means people have been forced from their homes, either within Sudan or across borders. The figure captures the war’s human reach, even though it does not measure every death, injury, hunger or destroyed service.

The scale is visible in the article’s description of atrocities and its reference to the El Fasher massacre. Human rights monitors also connect the crisis to foreign weapons, fighters and logistical support that help sustain the fighting. Continued external involvement can make it harder for civilians to return safely.

More than 14 million displaced people indicate an emergency requiring sustained diplomacy, protection and relief. The figure also explains why the Secretary-General race matters. Nusseibeh says Sudan would be her top priority, while critics want a leader able to challenge powerful governments linked to the conflict.

The Secretary-General is chosen through a two-stage process. The Security Council considers candidates and recommends one. The 193-member General Assembly then appoints that candidate. The article describes informal council polls, opposition from permanent members and a dialogue with the General Assembly, but this process explanation also uses established UN procedure.

The five permanent council members are Russia, China, the United States, France and Britain. Each has veto power over substantive council decisions, including the recommendation of a Secretary-General. In the reported straw poll, every candidate received at least two opposing votes from these decisive members, preventing a consensus choice.

This structure gives the five powers exceptional influence despite the Assembly’s broader membership. A candidate may have support among many countries but still fail to advance without council backing. The next straw poll could take place as soon as Friday, although diplomats were still negotiating its format and exact timing.

Nusseibeh’s election could affect how forcefully the UN investigates abuses and confronts governments connected to Sudan’s war. As the UAE’s former UN ambassador and senior diplomat, she has championed her country’s foreign policy. Critics fear that background could undermine confidence in the Secretary-General’s impartiality.

Husam Mahjoub said electing her could put the UAE government’s “chief defender” at the head of UN institutions while Sudanese civilians need powerful states held accountable. Kenneth Roth similarly criticized her denial of alleged UAE support for the RSF. A UN fact-finding mission identified UAE-linked individuals and entities among networks helping sustain the conflict.

Nusseibeh offers a different possibility. She says Sudan would be her top priority and that she would support UN fact-finding missions, accountability and transitional justice. The Secretary-General cannot independently control every UN investigation or compel states to cooperate. Her election would therefore create a test between critics’ concerns about credibility and her stated commitments.

Authority is divided among three UN institutions. The Secretary-General leads the organization’s work, communicates its priorities and supports diplomacy, mediation and investigations. The Security Council is the central body for international peace and security decisions. The General Assembly is the forum of all 193 member states and appoints the Secretary-General after a council recommendation.

The article shows this division in practice. The Security Council’s five permanent members—Russia, China, the United States, France and Britain—can decide whether a candidate advances. The General Assembly held a dialogue with candidates, including Nusseibeh. A Secretary-General can support fact-finding and political efforts, but member states determine the formal backing and resources available.

Responsibility is therefore shared, not concentrated in one office. The Secretary-General may set priorities, such as Nusseibeh’s promised focus on Sudan. The council can shape peace efforts, while the Assembly supplies broad political legitimacy. Effective action during war depends on these bodies cooperating.