Lana Nusseibeh is officially a candidate for UN Secretary-General. Her late entry into the race had been rumored for some time, and on Wednesday afternoon, the United Arab Emirates formally submitted her nomination.
Nusseibeh is well known in diplomatic circles and, by most accounts, well-liked and respected around the United Nations as a highly capable diplomat. She served as the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the UN for more than a decade, from 2013 to 2024, including a stint on the Security Council from 2022 to 2023. Since 2024, she has served as a senior foreign affairs official for the UAE.
In announcing her candidacy, Nusseibeh emphasized that she would engage in “quiet diplomacy” and prioritize smaller, localized mediation efforts that could be nurtured into broader peace deals. From her vision statement:
Lasting peace is rarely made in a single stroke. More often, it is assembled f…