As Guterres exits, here are contenders for UNSG and their Middle East outlook

The next United Nations secretary-general will inherit a Middle East agenda spanning Gaza, southern Lebanon and Iran’s nuclear program, but first, one of the seven candidates currently vying for the job must win the backing of the UN Security Council’s five permanent members.

Antonio Guterres, a former prime minister of Portugal who has led the UN since January 2017, will step down at the end of his second five-year term on Dec. 31. His tenure has been defined by a succession of major crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Iran and Sudan, as well as tensions among the major powers that have constrained the UN’s ability to act. 

Guterres, 77, has made climate change and international cooperation on artificial intelligence central to his agenda and has pushed for reforms to international institutions, including greater representation for African countries on the Security Council and a larger role for developing countries in global financial institutions. His tenure has drawn criticism over the UN’s limited ability to advance political solutions to major conflicts. Guterres has instead focused on the organization’s role in humanitarian response and civilian protection.

His successor will take over an organization facing financial pressures and questions about its political influence.