Maldives Mission plays "eeny, meeny, miny, moe" in UN Secretary-General election

The Maldives has abruptly withdrawn its nomination of former UN Under-Secretary-General Virginia Gamba for the 2026 United Nations Secretary-General election, without providing any official reason for the decision.

According to a report published in "The Global Observatory," the Permanent Mission of the Maldives to the United Nations officially submitted Gambari's nomination on March 11. However, just 14 days later, the Maldives withdrew the nomination via a brief two-sentence letter.

The report noted that there is no evidence of any prior relationship between Gamba and the Maldives. It further stated that his campaign was to be funded through personal finances and with the assistance of a student organization known as the International Model United Nations Association.

The report criticized candidates vying for the position of UN Secretary-General without sufficient political weight or international backing, citing Gambari’s campaign as one of the most prominent examples. It further noted that any country nominating a candidate for such a high office must possess the capacity to sustain a prolonged campaign and secure the support of influential members within the Security Council.

In addition to Gamba, the report highlights other candidates competing in this race without sufficient political backing, including former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and former Senegalese President Macky Sall. It noted that these individuals also lack full support from their respective home countries or regions.

As the process for selecting the next United Nations Secretary-General proceeds, open question-and-answer sessions with the candidates have been scheduled for April 21 and 22.