Rights groups criticise UAE diplomat Lana Nusseibeh's bid for UN secretary-general over Sudan

Human rights groups on Tuesday criticised the candidacy of Lana Nusseibeh to become the next UN secretary-general. France 24, Reuters and The Japan Times all reported the criticism.

Nusseibeh is a diplomat from the United Arab Emirates (UAE). She previously served as the UAE's ambassador to the UN. She entered the race last week.

The groups' concerns relate to the UAE's alleged role in the conflict in Sudan.

According to France 24, the rights groups urged countries to reject her bid. They cited allegations that Abu Dhabi funds Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). According to Reuters, the criticism also cited her role in championing UAE foreign policy and her denials of the UAE's role in fuelling the conflict. The Japan Times reported that pushback against her has grown since her late entry into the race.

Sudan has been at war since 2023, with the army fighting the RSF, according to France 24.

France 24 reported that Nusseibeh is 48. She is seeking to become the first woman and the second Arab to lead the UN. The outlet said she served as the UAE's permanent representative to the UN from 2013 to 2024, the first woman in that post. Since her official nomination, she has gained the backing of Gulf states, according to France 24. She has also faced scrutiny over the UAE's normalisation with Israel.

According to France 24, a candidate must win nine of the 15 Security Council votes. The candidate must also avoid a veto from any of the five permanent members: the United States, Britain, China, France and Russia. Candidates are supposed to be independent from their home governments.

What is disputed

The UAE denies that it funds the RSF, according to France 24. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe the evidence behind the allegations. They also do not include a direct statement from the UAE government.

What each side says

Ken Roth, whom France 24 described as head of Human Rights Watch, told journalists: "I think that Lana Nusseibeh is utterly inappropriate as a candidate for UN Secretary General." He added: "Not just once, but repeatedly she has been asked about the UAE's role in arming and supporting the RSF and she just blatantly denies it without regard to the facts."

France 24 quoted Kate Ferguson, co-director of the British NGO Protection Approaches, as saying: "There is not, as far as I have seen, sufficient evidence that this candidate is independent from the state from which she comes."

Nusseibeh said she has taken "a leave of absence from my post as a minister of the UAE," "mindful of the obligations of independence," according to France 24. The outlet quoted her as saying: "The atrocities committed by the RSF are atrocious, and I would support the work of all UN fact-finding missions for accountability and transitional justice." She said the first thing the UN must do "is stop the conflict." She added that "the horrific conflict in Sudan will be the litmus test of the success of an incoming Secretary General."

The reports do not say where she made these remarks.

Analysis

The criticism centres on a core expectation of the role: independence from a home government. Nusseibeh's leave of absence is her stated answer to that concern; her critics say it is not enough. The outcome depends on the Security Council, yet the reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe the positions of its members, including the five permanent members. Gulf backing could strengthen her bid, while sustained pressure from rights groups could shape how Council members weigh it. How the allegations about Sudan are examined, and how the UAE responds, may influence the debate. Other candidates are not named in the reports.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.