Kathmandu— The United Nations Security Council concluded its second non-binding straw poll on Friday to select the next UN secretary-general, with Guyana’s Ambassador Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett receiving the most support among eight declared candidates. The vote comes as current Secretary-General António Guterres nears the end of his second five-year term on December 31st and the council seeks a consensus nominee. The secret ballots are designed to narrow the field before a formal recommendation is sent to the UN General Assembly for ratification, where any of the five permanent members of the Security Council can veto a candidate.

Straw Poll Results

According to results circulated following Friday’s poll, Rodrigues Birkett received eight ‘encourage’ votes, three ‘discourage’ votes, and four abstentions. She was closely followed by Costa Rican diplomat Rebeca Grynspan and International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi of Argentina, who both garnered seven ‘encourage’ votes. Grossi received six ‘discourage’ votes while Grynspan had four. Grynspan led the field after the first round of balloting in July.

Other Candidates in Contention

The other candidates vying for the position include former Senegalese President Macky Sall, former UN General Assembly President Maria Fernanda Espinosa of Ecuador, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, Ugandan diplomat Olara Otunnu and Ecuadorian diplomat Ivonne A-Baki. The Security Council will continue to hold straw polls in an effort to narrow down the field.

Selection Process and Challenges

The secret straw polls are intended to gauge support among the council’s 15 members before a formal recommendation is made to the UN General Assembly, which typically ratifies the Security Council's choice. A candidate requires at least nine votes in a formal UNSC vote to advance, but any of the five permanent members – the United States, China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom – can veto a nominee. Later rounds of polling will utilize colored ballots to reveal if a permanent member has issued a ‘discourage’ vote.

UN's Diminished Standing

The next secretary-general will inherit the challenge of bolstering the UN’s standing, which critics argue has diminished in recent years. The institution, founded after World War II, has faced criticism for its inability to prevent or resolve global conflicts and crises, including Israel’s actions in Gaza and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The Security Council is expected to continue conducting straw polls until a consensus candidate emerges before Guterres’ term expires at the end of December.

(With inputs from Al Jazeera)

Originally published on abcnews.com.np.