Costa Rican Diplomat Emerges as Front-Runner to Become First Female UN Secretary-General

Rebeca Grynspan, a Costa Rican diplomat and former vice president of her country, is emerging as a surprise front-runner in the race to become the next United Nations Secretary-General, and if elected, she would be the first woman to hold the position.

Grynspan, whose parents were Polish refugees during World War II and whose maternal grandparents were killed by the Nazis, currently heads the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The agency has documented the economic toll of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.

The current Secretary-General, António Guterres, completes his second term on December 31, 2026. Under an informal regional rotation system, his successor is expected to come from Latin America.

In the first secret ballot at the UN Security Council, the five permanent members and ten non-permanent members were asked for their views on seven candidates. Results showed Grynspan received 10 “encourage” votes, 4 “no opinion” votes, and 1 “discourage” vote. The identity of the dissenting vote was not disclosed, but having only one objection puts her in a favorable starting position. The selection process is expected to conclude by October.

Grynspan's closest rival is Carolyn Rodrigues-Burkett, former Guyanese ambassador to the UN, with 9 encourage votes, 2 discourage votes, and 4 no opinion votes. In a Bloomberg-sponsored debate at the General Assembly last month, Rodrigues-Burkett won 49% of votes from attendees, while Grynspan came second with 14%.

A Western diplomat noted: “Grynspan is seen by some as the continuity candidate, with tacit backing from Guterres. But what matters is where the discourage votes come from: if from Russia, China, or the US, the risk of deadlock is high.”

The selection comes as the prestige of multilateralism faces challenges, with the UN cutting 20% of its staff and the Secretary-General's mediation role overshadowed by other parties, leaving the organization as a moral voice that is barely heard or a venue for expressing disagreements.

If elected, Grynspan would be the first UN Secretary-General of Jewish heritage. Although the UN is often criticized for focusing too much on Israel in debates, Grynspan has cited her Jewish heritage to stress the importance of ending conflict.

Speaking before the UN General Assembly, she said: “Peace is what allowed my parents, two refugees from World War II, to find respect and dignity in a small country like Costa Rica. I am a daughter of that peace, a testimony to what peace can do.”

Her sister moved to Israel at 17 to study chemistry at the Hebrew University, and her grandchildren have completed military service in the Israel Defense Forces. However, under her leadership, UNCTAD has objectively and clearly documented the economic damage caused by Israel during its long occupation of Palestinian territories.

A key UNCTAD report published in February 2026 found that “the Palestinian economy accumulated an estimated $212.2 billion in damages (in 2015 values) from 2000 to 2024. This figure, equivalent to nearly 20 times the entire GDP of Palestine in 2024, comes directly from Israel's occupation policies, restrictions, blockades, and repeated military campaigns.” In November 2025, Grynspan highlighted that Gaza's per capita GDP had fallen to just $161 per person per year, one of the most severe economic downturns in modern history.

Three other candidates, including Michelle Bachelet, may face too much opposition to secure the position. Bachelet, former president of Chile and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, faces opposition from the US administration for being perceived as too lenient on China's human rights record. The recent suggestion by the Trump administration that FIFA president Gianni Infantino should take the role reflects Washington's distance from the UN mainstream.

The UN Secretary-General is elected for a first term of four years, after the 193-member General Assembly is asked to approve a single nomination from the Security Council. A candidate needs at least 9 votes in favor and no veto from any permanent member. The new Secretary-General must be elected before the end of the year, with additional Security Council meetings to gauge support.