The United Nations has set 19th August , 2026 the public heaaring of Uganda’s candidate for Secretary-General, Ambassador Olara Otunnu.
The official interactive dialogue, also known as a public hearing, will take place New York at the Trusteeship Council Chamber at UN Headquarters and forms part of the UN General Assembly’s transparent selection process for the next Secretary-General.
During the interactive dialogue, Otunnu will present his vision for the United Nations and respond to questions from UN Member States as well as representatives of civil society. The public hearings are designed to give governments and the global public an opportunity to assess each candidate’s priorities, leadership approach and plans for addressing major international challenges.
Otunnu, a veteran Ugandan diplomat and former United Nations Under-Secretary-General, was formally nominated by Uganda to succeed António Guterres, whose second five-year term ends on December 31, 2026.
The hearing comes as Uganda intensifies its diplomatic campaign for Otunnu’s candidature. President Yoweri Museveni recently met ambassadors representing members of the UN Security Council at State House Entebbe, urging them to convey Uganda’s endorsement of Otunnu to their respective governments.
The Secretary-General is appointed by the UN General Assembly upon the recommendation of the 15-member Security Council, where any of the five permanent members can veto a candidate. Public hearings are followed by a series of confidential Security Council straw polls that help determine the candidate with the broadest support.
