UK Considers Backing UAE's Lana Nusseibeh for UN Secretary-General

The United Kingdom is considering backing Emirati diplomat Lana Nusseibeh for the role of UN secretary-general, despite concerns over her country's involvement in Sudan. This comes after the UK sanctioned 15 senior commanders from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for suspected atrocities, including conflict-related sexual violence. UN experts and rights groups have concluded that the RSF has committed genocide and other international crimes against non-Arab communities in Darfur.

The UK is leaning towards supporting Nusseibeh's candidacy, although a final decision has not yet been made. This consideration is amid a major row in Britain after Manchester City Football Club, owned by Emirati royal and vice-president Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nayhan, was found to have breached 114 Premier League financial rules by disguising more than £830m in illicit funding. The club denies the claims and Emirati officials have since reportedly threatened to cancel investments in Britain over 'the Premier League’s actions.'

Nusseibeh's candidacy has drawn controversy over the UAE's role in Sudan’s civil war, where it is accused of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, whose mass killings UN investigators say bear the 'hallmarks of genocide.' The UAE denies the allegations. Her candidacy has also drawn criticism over the UAE's close ties with Israel.

Nusseibeh, 48, would be the first woman to lead the UN and its second Arab secretary-general, after Egypt's Boutros Boutros-Ghali. Her entry into the race followed six informal straw polls in which no candidate secured the backing of the five veto-wielding permanent members of the UN: Britain, the US, Russia, China and France.

If selected, Nusseibeh would be the first woman to lead the UN and its second Arab secretary-general, after Egypt's Boutros Boutros-Ghali. The current secretary-general, Antonio Guterres, will end his term in December. The council must agree a candidate for the 193-member General Assembly to approve, but it remains unclear whether it will do so before then.

Nusseibeh's candidacy has drawn controversy over the UAE's role in Sudan’s civil war, where it is accused of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, whose mass killings UN investigators say bear the 'hallmarks of genocide.' The UAE denies the allegations. Her candidacy has also drawn criticism over the UAE's close ties with Israel.

The UK is leaning towards supporting Nusseibeh's candidacy, although a final decision has not yet been made. This consideration is amid a major row in Britain after Manchester City Football Club, owned by Emirati royal and vice-president Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nayhan, was found to have breached 114 Premier League financial rules by disguising more than £830m in illicit funding. The club denies the claims and Emirati officials have since reportedly threatened to cancel investments in Britain over 'the Premier League’s actions.'

The United Kingdom is considering backing Emirati diplomat Lana Nusseibeh for the role of UN secretary-general, despite concerns over her country's involvement in Sudan. This comes after the UK sanctioned 15 senior commanders from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for suspected atrocities, including conflict-related sexual violence. UN experts and rights groups have concluded in several authoritative reports that the RSF has committed genocide and other international crimes against non-Arab communities in Darfur.