Former General Assembly Chairman Espinosa nominated for post of UN Secretary General

UN, May 12. /TASS/. President of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly (from 2018 to 2019) Maria Fernanda Espinosa has been nominated for the post of secretary general of the world organization. "We received a nomination from Antigua and Barbuda nominating Ms Maria Fernanda Espinosa for the position of secretary general," La Neice Collins, a spokesperson for the president of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, said at a briefing. Besides Espinosa, four candidates are running for the post: former Chilean president and former UN high commissioner for human rights Michelle Bachelet, Secretary General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Rebeca Grynspan (Costa Rica), Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Grossi (Argentina) and former President of Senegal Macky Sall. The election of a new UN secretary general is scheduled for July 2026. The powers of the current head of the world organization, Antonio Guterres, who has held this position since 2017, expire on December 31.