All seven candidates for the position of UN Secretary-General were vetoed in an informal straw poll of the Security Council on Friday, October 16, a diplomatic source said.
None of the candidates managed to avoid a veto from the five permanent members — US, UK, France, Russia and China — a result that effectively wipes the slate clean and paves the way for new candidacies.
Following the vote, former Senegalese President Macky Sall announced his withdrawal from the race.
In a statement issued from Marrakech on 17 October 2026, Sall said he made the decision after consultations with Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, current Chairperson of the African Union who sponsored his candidacy, and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye, who supported it.
"I have decided to withdraw my candidacy with a deep sense of responsibility, hoping that it will help pave the way for the emergence of a consensus candidate within the Security Council," Sall said.
He noted that from the beginning of the process, straw polls had indicated a preference for a candidate from the Latin American and Caribbean region, potentially a woman.
"My candidacy was primarily motivated by the desire to place my nearly 40 years of experience in public service at the disposal of the United Nations," he added.
Sall thanked members of the Security Council that voted in favour of his candidacy, his campaign team, religious and traditional leaders, and the Senegalese people.
He said the UN must undertake a profound transformation of its working methods as the world faces conflicts, geopolitical rivalries and economic challenges, and that Africa must continue to pursue its rightful place in global governance.
"I am withdrawing my candidacy, but I remain fully committed to serving the ideals that inspired it: peace, security, economic and social development, and international cooperation," he said.
The veto of all candidates means the selection process will now enter a new phase, with fresh nominations expected ahead of the end of Antonio Guterres's term.
