KAMPALA— Uganda has officially nominated seasoned diplomat Ambassador Olara Otunnu for the post of United Nations Secretary-General, positioning the former foreign minister and senior UN official as the country’s candidate to succeed António Guterres when his term ends later this year.
The nomination, announced on Sunday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marks Uganda’s formal entry into the race to lead the 193-member global body. Government officials said the decision reflects confidence in Otunnu’s decades-long record in international diplomacy, peacebuilding and public service.
In a statement, the ministry said Otunnu has spent more than 40 years serving at the highest levels of global governance, including within the United Nations, Uganda’s diplomatic service, academia and international peace institutions.
Olara Otunnu is widely known for serving as the first United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, a position he held from 1998 to 2005. During his tenure, he successfully pushed for stronger international measures to protect children affected by war, helping secure the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1612, which established a monitoring and reporting mechanism for grave violations against children in conflict.
Olara Otunnu’s Diplomatic Milestones and National Leadership
Before taking up that role, he represented Uganda at the United Nations as Ambassador and Permanent Representative from 1980 to 1985. While serving as President of the UN Security Council in December 1981, he introduced the informal straw-ballot system used to test support for candidates seeking the office of Secretary-General—a procedure that has since become a permanent feature of the UN selection process.
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At the national level, Olara Otunnu served as Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs between 1985 and 1986 and was a member of the National Consultative Council during the country’s transition following the fall of Idi Amin’s government.
His career has also extended into academia and international policy. He served as President of the International Peace Academy, now known as the International Peace Institute, and has taught at institutions including Albany Law School in the United States, the American University in Paris and France’s Institut Français des Relations Internationales.
Global Recognition, Education and Peacebuilding Legacy
The ministry further cited Olara Otunnu’s international recognition, including the Sydney Peace Prize, the German Africa Prize, and the Harvard Law School Alumni Association Award, describing them as evidence of his contributions to peace, human rights and international cooperation.
In recent years, Otunnu has co-led the Roco Paco peace initiative with Chief Justice Emeritus Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo, an effort aimed at fostering reconciliation and rebuilding communities in northern Uganda after decades of conflict.
An Oxford University graduate with a law degree and a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School, Otunnu is fluent in English, French and Luo.
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The government said his experience across diplomacy, international security, governance and grassroots peacebuilding makes him well suited to guide the United Nations through an increasingly complex global landscape.
The selection of the next UN Secretary-General is expected to begin in the coming months ahead of the expiry of António Guterres’ second and final term on 31 December 2026, with Uganda urging UN member states to support Otunnu’s candidature.
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Olara Otunnu is certainly the most qualified for the position of SG basing on his CV and proven abilities.
The question is whether the Kingmakers see I it that way and whether his profile aligns with their current interests and I think they don’t.
Nonetheless, good luck
Olara Otunnu appears to be well cut out for the UN top job. It is our fervent prayers that the voters will detect the potential in this great leader.