Otunnu doubles support in UN straw poll as secretary-general race intensifies

Uganda’s candidate for United Nations secretary-general, Olara Otunnu, saw his support doubled in the second Security Council straw poll, improving his position among contenders seeking to replace António Guterres.

Otunnu received five “encourage” votes in the second informal poll held on August 21, 2026, up from two in the first poll conducted on July 30. 

He also reduced the number of “no opinion” votes from eight to five, although the number of countries that “discouraged” his candidacy remained at five.

The latest results placed Otunnu fifth among eight candidates, behind Guyana’s Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan, Argentina’s Rafael Grossi and Senegal’s Macky Sall. 

Rodrigues-Birkett emerged as the leading candidate with eight “encourage” votes, while Grynspan and Grossi each received seven.

The improvement has been welcomed by Otunnu’s supporters, who argue that the former Ugandan diplomat’s late entry into the race has not prevented him from gaining recognition among Security Council members.

Thomas Tayebwa, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, described the latest results as a major improvement for Otunnu.

“I’m excited by Ambassador Olara’s performance in the second UN Security Council straw poll. Big improvement from the first one. With his late entry, the strides being made are very impressive,” Tayebwa said in a post on X.

Otunnu enters the race with a connection to the very system that will determine the next secretary-general.

During his tenure as Uganda’s permanent representative to the United Nations between 1980 and 1985, he served as president of the Security Council in 1981 and introduced the informal straw poll method used to narrow down candidates for the UN’s top job.

The process allows Security Council members to privately indicate whether they “encourage”, “discourage” or have “no opinion” about candidates before the council recommends a nominee to the General Assembly.

Otunnu developed the system during a difficult selection process in 1981 that eventually led to the appointment of Javier Pérez de Cuéllar as UN secretary-general.

His supporters believe his understanding of UN politics and diplomatic negotiations gives him an advantage, but analysts note that the final decision will depend on whether he can win support from the five permanent members of the Security Council, which hold veto powers.

The 75-year-old diplomat has campaigned on the need for UN reform, stronger conflict prevention and restoring confidence in multilateral institutions. During a recent dialogue with UN member states and civil society, he called for moral renewal within the organisation and warned that reforms were necessary for the UN to remain effective.

Otunnu previously served as UN under-secretary-general and special representative for children and armed conflict from 1997 to 2005, where he led global efforts to protect children affected by war.

Uganda formally nominated him for the position on July 24, 2026, making him one of the eight candidates competing to succeed Guterres, whose second term ends in December 2026.

Although Otunnu has made progress, he remains behind the leading candidates and must continue building support before the decisive stages of the selection process.

The straw polls are not a formal election but serve as a guide for Security Council members as they seek a candidate who can secure at least nine votes and avoid opposition from any of the five permanent members.