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Rabat – Burundi, the holder of AU chairmanship, has officially nominated former Senegalese President Macky Sall as a potential candidate to replace Antonio Guterres as the next Secretary General of the United Nations.
Guterres will conclude his second and final term at the help of the UN leadership on January 1, 2027, and Sall is now in the competition to secure the influential position.
Sall served as president of Senegal from 2012 to 2024. He also served as the chairperson of the AU from 2022-2024.
While reports emphasize his prowess as a prominent leader with deep knowledge and understanding of challenges the world faces, others see his candidacy as controversial due to the political unrest that marked his final years in power.
This includes protests as well as embezzlement related to COVID-19.
According to Streamline Feed outlet, four former ministers from his government were charged with embezzlement.
“This domestic baggage will undoubtedly be weaponised by his detractors on the global stage,” the same source said.
The process to select candidates for the position was launched in November 2025. Each candidate has to be formally nominated by a state or group of states.
Other candidates running for the UNSG race also include former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet and Argentina diplomat Rafael Grossi.
Former Costa Rica vice president Rebeca Grynspan is also a candidate although her letter of candidacy has not yet been officially submitted to the UN, according to RFI.
Morocco-Senegal ties
Macky Sall is among leaders that has maintained strong and special relations with Morocco during his presidency and beyond.
During his time as president, the Senegalese government opened a diplomatic consulate in Dakhla in 2021 to renew his country’s support for Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces in Western Sahara.
The move marked a strong step to boost bilateral ties.
The two countries continue to reaffirm their determination to strengthen their relationship despite recent challenges that marked the chaotic Senegal-Morocco chaotic AFCON final.
Senegal has challenged Morocco’s judiciary for invoking sentences on Senegalese fans involved in violent acts and vandalism during the AFCON final. Around 18 fans attempted to storm the pitch and us destroyed seats at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, using them as weapons against security guards.
The situation was triggered by Senegalese players’ decision to leave the pitch for at least 15 minutes in a dramatic turn of events that significantly affected the match and Morocco’s performance.
Nine of the people involved were sentenced to one year in prison and a fine of MAD 5,000 ($500), while six others received six months prison sentences and a MAD 2,000 ($200) fine.
The remaining three received three months in prison and a MAD 1,000 ($100) fine
The Senegal Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko alleged the case “has gone beyond the realm of sport.”
“For two countries that consider themselves friends like Morocco and Senegal things should not have escalated to this level,” he said, alleging the sentences are “regrettable.”
His remarks came a month after his official visit to Morocco, when he said that neither the incidents that took place during the final nor emotions surrounding them have weakened the centuries-old ties between the two countries.
“They [sports] have tested their bond,” the prime minister added. “They have not opposed Senegal and Morocco. They have put to the test the intensity of two national passions within a shared space.”
