UK Weighs Backing of Emirati Diplomat for UN Leadership

The United Kingdom is moving toward a decision to support Lana Nusseibeh as the next United Nations secretary-general, according to multiple sources close to the British government.

The move comes with the current term of Antonio Guterres set to expire in December 2026. The Security Council must select a nominee for the General Assembly, but the timeline for that vote remains uncertain. No candidate has yet secured the backing of all five permanent members during recent informal polls. Nusseibeh entered the race last week, marking the first time a woman would lead the organization if selected. She would also be the second Arab to hold the post, following Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt.

Nusseibeh, 48, serves as a senior diplomat for the United Arab Emirates. She previously held the role of the UAE's permanent representative to the UN from 2013 to 2024. During that tenure, she served twice as president of the Security Council and led the executive board of UN Women. Before that, she worked as a consultant for Unesco and as an analyst at the Gulf Research Centre. Her family is of Palestinian heritage and originates from Jerusalem. Her grandfather, Anwar Nusseibeh, held ministerial positions in Jordan and served as ambassador to Britain.

The candidacy faces scrutiny due to the UAE's role in the civil war in Sudan. UN investigators have stated that mass killings by the Rapid Support Forces bear the hallmarks of genocide. While the UAE denies supporting the paramilitary group, public evidence links the country to arms supplies for the RSF. The UK announced on Monday that it is sanctioning 15 senior commanders from both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces for suspected atrocities, including conflict-related sexual violence. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said that investigations showed rape and starvation are still being used as weapons.

Domestic political friction in the UK adds complexity to the decision. Last month, Manchester City Football Club, owned by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nayhan, was found to have breached 114 Premier League financial rules. The club disguised more than 830 million pounds in illicit funding, a figure equivalent to 1.1 billion US dollars. The club denies the claims, but Emirati officials have threatened to cancel investments in Britain in response. Sources indicated that supporting Nusseibeh could generate goodwill with the UAE during this period of strained relations.

The British Foreign Office did not respond to a request for comment before publication. Nusseibeh stated in a campaign launch statement that she is running to act with greater urgency and to produce concrete results. She previously urged the Israeli government to suspend plans to annex parts of the West Bank in September 2025, describing the Abraham Accords as a means to support Palestinians.