Former Senegalese president Macky Sall has withdrawn his bid to become the next United Nations secretary-general following an informal vote by the UN Security Council.

Sall announced his decision in a statement dated October 17, a day after the council held the ballot and consultations involving Burundi President Évariste Ndayishimiye and Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye.

Ndayishimiye, the African Union chairperson, sponsored Sall’s candidacy, while Faye, who chairs the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), also supported his bid.

“I have taken this decision with a deep sense of responsibility, in the hope that it will contribute to the emergence of a consensus candidate within the Security Council,” Sall said.

He added that the informal ballot results pointed towards a candidate from Latin America and the Caribbean, potentially a woman.

Sall, who served as Senegal’s president from 2012 to 2024, said his bid was driven by a desire to put nearly four decades of public service to work for the United Nations.

He thanked the leaders who supported his candidacy, Security Council members who backed him, his campaign team and the Senegalese people.

Despite withdrawing, Sall reaffirmed his commitment to peace, security, economic and social development, international cooperation and dialogue among nations.

“I remain convinced that the United Nations must undertake a profound transformation of its working methods and functioning,” he said, citing conflicts, geopolitical rivalries and economic challenges as reasons for reform.

He also called on Africa to continue pushing for a stronger voice in global governance.

Reuters reported that the October 16 informal ballot left no candidate with the backing of all five permanent members of the Security Council: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The five hold veto power over the council’s recommendation for the next secretary-general.

Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan emerged as a leading contender in the ballot, Reuters reported, although she also faced opposition from permanent members.

The next secretary-general will succeed António Guterres, whose second term ends on December 31, 2026.

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