Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — The African Union has failed to unite behind former Senegalese president Macky Sall as the continent’s candidate for United Nations Secretary-General, leaving him without the collective endorsement usually decisive in such races. Diplomats said the 55-member body stalled after objections emerged over the absence of an open, competitive selection process.
Behind closed doors, envoys criticised the way Sall’s name surfaced, noting no public call for candidates or formal short-listing had taken place. Concerns over regional balance and the precedent of fast-tracking an ex-head of state also mounted, denying the consensus required for an official AU nomination.
Without the bloc’s backing, Sall must now decide whether to pursue the post due for election in late 2026 or step aside. Africa has not held the UN’s top job since Ghana’s Kofi Annan departed in 2006, and divisions risk weakening the continent’s leverage as other regions prepare rival contenders.
The AU is expected to revisit the selection question at its June summit; until then the field remains open and Africa lacks a standard-bearer.
Source: Panafricanvisions
