Cyprus backs UAE’s Lana Nusseibeh for UN secretary-general
Cyprus has endorsed Lana Nusseibeh’s bid to lead the United Nations, with Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos praising her diplomatic experience and commitment to multilateralism.
Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus has backed the candidacy of UAE diplomat Lana Nusseibeh to take office as United Nations secretary-general early next year. Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos praised her experience, effectiveness and standing in diplomacy.
Cyprus outlines its support
Kombos said Nusseibeh prioritised dialogue, compromise and practical results, and had demonstrated sustained support for multilateralism and the UN.
He reaffirmed his longstanding conviction that major multilateral institutions should have female leadership. He said qualified candidates had yet to receive endorsement for UN secretary-general under the organisation’s rules, adding that advancing the selection procedure was becoming urgent.
Kombos also wished Nusseibeh strength in pursuing the demanding bid and success in opening new paths.
Diplomatic career and background
Nusseibeh, aged 48, serves as the UAE’s assistant minister for political affairs. She previously represented the country at the UN as its permanent representative from 2013 to 2024, a period that included her presidency of the UN women executive board in 2017.
Her father, Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, is a Palestinian-born UAE diplomat. She speaks four languages: English, Arabic, French and Hebrew.
Late nomination follows deadlocked polls
The UAE nominated Nusseibeh on Wednesday, bringing her into the contest at a late stage after successive straw polls among UN Security Council members failed to break the deadlock.
On October 16, each of the seven contenders then in the race had received negative assessments from at least two of the council’s five permanent members.
Her bid gained support almost immediately when the Gulf Cooperation Council unanimously endorsed her on Thursday.
GCC secretary-general Jasem Mohamed Abdulawi said the nomination demonstrated the member states’ commitment to multilateral international action. He added that it also reflected their desire to help strengthen the UN’s role in safeguarding peace and security internationally.
The GCC’s members are Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain. Bahrain currently holds a non-permanent seat on the Security Council.
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