African Union rejects Macky Sall's bid for UN Secretary-General

The African Union (AU) member states have refused to support the candidacy of former Senegalese President Macky Sall to replace António Guterres as UN Secretary-General. Twenty AU member states opposed the decision, leading to the non-adoption of the official support project.

Key points

• The decision was announced via a verbal note dated March 27, 2026, confirmed by Nuur Mohamud Sheekh, spokesperson for the AU Commission President.
• The project for support was submitted under the 'tacit approval' procedure, which required objections from less than one-third of the 55 member countries.
• Macky Sall's candidacy was initially proposed by Burundi, whose president, Évariste Ndayishimiye, holds the rotating AU presidency.
• The next UN Secretary-General is set to begin their mandate on January 1, 2027.
• Other candidates for the position include Michelle Bachelet, Rafael Grossi, Rebeca Grynspan, and Virginia Gamba.

Why it matters

The failure to secure the AU's official backing significantly jeopardizes Macky Sall's bid for the top UN position, despite the post traditionally rotating to Latin America this cycle.