Candidates for UN Secretary-General meet with Cypriot Foreign Minister

On the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September 2026, Cypriot Foreign Minister Konstantinos Kombos held meetings with Rebeca Grynspan and Rafael Grossi. Both individuals are identified as top candidates to succeed current UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose successor is scheduled to take office on January 1, 2027.

Rebeca Grynspan, currently the Secretary-General of UNCTAD, is considered a frontrunner. In the third informal straw poll held on September 18, 2026, she received nine “encourage” and five “discourage” votes. Reports suggest that she may be the first woman and first Jewish leader of the UN if selected, with her past achievements including negotiating the Black Sea grain corridor. Rafael Grossi, however, saw his support wane in the third poll, receiving five “encourage” and eight “discourage” votes, placing him fourth behind Otunnu.

Selection for the position requires achieving the threshold of nine positive votes in the Security Council while avoiding a veto from any permanent member. While the Council has not yet utilized color-coded ballots to distinguish permanent members' votes, media sources speculate that China or others may be among those issuing negative votes against Grynspan. The selection process remains ongoing as diplomatic efforts continue ahead of the official appointment.