By Kabugho Elias
KAMPALA, July 26, 2026 — Uganda has formally entered the race for the next Secretary-General of the United Nations by nominating veteran diplomat Ambassador Olara Otunnu, presenting him as a candidate with decades of experience in global diplomacy, conflict resolution and public service.
The nomination was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a press statement released on Sunday, saying the government had officially submitted Otunnu’s candidature for consideration by UN member states ahead of the expiry of Secretary-General António Guterres’ second term at the end of the year.
The government described Otunnu as one of Uganda’s most accomplished diplomats, citing more than 40 years of service in international affairs, including senior leadership positions within the United Nations and Uganda’s foreign service.
Among the highlights of his career is his appointment as the UN’s first Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, a position he held from 1998 to 2005. During that period, he spearheaded international efforts to strengthen the protection of children caught up in armed conflicts and helped establish the UN monitoring framework under Security Council Resolution 1612.
Before that, Otunnu served as Uganda’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations between 1980 and 1985. As President of the UN Security Council in December 1981, he introduced the informal straw-poll system used to gauge support for candidates seeking the office of Secretary-General—a process that later became known as the “Otunnu Formula.”
His public service in Uganda also included a stint as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1985 to 1986 and membership of the Uganda National Consultative Council during the country’s transitional administration after the fall of Idi Amin.
Outside government, Otunnu served as President of the International Peace Academy, now known as the International Peace Institute, and later taught at several international academic institutions, including Albany Law School, the American University in Paris and the Institut Français des Relations Internationales.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry also pointed to his international recognition, noting that he has received several honours for his work in peacebuilding and human rights, including the Sydney Peace Prize, the German Africa Prize and the Harvard Law School Alumni Association Award.
More recently, Otunnu has worked alongside Chief Justice Emeritus Alfonse Chigamoy Owiny-Dollo in leading the Roco Paco initiative, a community-driven peacebuilding programme aimed at promoting reconciliation and healing in northern Uganda after years of conflict.
An Oxford University-trained lawyer with a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School, Otunnu speaks English, French and Luo.
In its statement, the government said his experience across international diplomacy, national leadership, academia and grassroots peacebuilding makes him well placed to lead the United Nations at a time when the organisation faces complex global challenges.
Uganda has appealed to UN member states to rally behind Otunnu’s candidature as the process to choose the organisation’s next Secretary-General gets underway.
