Guyana's UN envoy leads in second straw poll for next secretary-general

Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett, Guyana's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), emerged as the top candidate in the second informal straw poll for the next UN secretary-general, held Friday by the Security Council.

Rodrigues Birkett received eight "encourage" votes, edging ahead of Costa Rica's Rebeca Grynspan, according to sources familiar with the closed-door vote.

"The second round of straw polls has taken place," said Christina Markus Lassen, the UN ambassador of Denmark, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council for the month of August.

Lassen told reporters after the secret vote that "the candidates will be informed of the results through the respective permanent representatives of nominating member states. The President of the General Assembly will also be informed that the straw poll has been concluded."

Through straw polls, the Security Council selects a candidate to recommend to the General Assembly for appointment as the next UN secretary-general.

Security Council straw polls on secretary-general candidates are informal closed-door ballots used to gauge support for the candidates. Their results are not officially released.

Article 97 of the UN Charter states that the secretary-general shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

Lassen did not provide any details of Friday's vote. However, it is believed that all eight candidates were on the ballot.

The eight candidates currently in the race are: Ivonne A-Baki, former Ecuadorian minister and diplomat; Michelle Bachelet, former Chilean president and former UN high commissioner for human rights; Maria Fernanda Espinosa, former UN General Assembly president and former foreign minister and defense minister of Ecuador; Rafael Grossi of Argentina, current director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency; Rebeca Grynspan, former vice president of Costa Rica and current secretary-general of the UN Conference on Trade and Development; Olara Otunnu of Uganda, former UN under-secretary-general; Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett, Guyana's permanent representative to the United Nations; and Macky Sall, former president of Senegal.

Security Council members were believed to have received one ballot per candidate, containing the candidate's name followed by three options: "encouraged," "discouraged," and "no opinion expressed," according to What's in Blue, which provides insights into evolving Security Council actions.

The term of current UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will end on December 31.

Guyana's UN envoy leads in second straw poll for next secretary-general

The European Union (EU) is preparing to impose a comprehensive package of sanctions on Israel in response to the latter's advancement of settlement construction in the E1 area of the West Bank, according to a report by Israel's Channel 13 on Thursday, which cited two diplomatic sources.

The proposed measures under consideration by the EU would span commercial, academic, and security domains. Among the initial steps being drafted are mandatory labeling requirements for goods imported from Israel, a reduction in academic cooperation between European and Israeli institutions, and the suspension of certain security and diplomatic engagements with the Israeli government.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Friday that the Israeli government's decision to issue construction tenders for the E1 settlement project is "unacceptable". She emphasized that the European Union has consistently opposed the initiative, arguing that the development would sever the West Bank, "breaking the territorial continuity of the Palestinian territories", and ultimately undermine the prospect of a two-state solution.

Israel on Tuesday advanced plans for the controversial E1 settlement project in the West Bank, publishing a tender for 1,234 housing units.

The tender, published online by the Ministry of Construction and Housing, covers part of a wider plan for 3,401 housing units in E1, an area east of Jerusalem.

Leaders of seven nations including Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Canada on Thursday condemned the Israeli government's decision to publish construction tenders for the E1 settlement project in the West Bank, calling on Israel to immediately retract the plans.

In a joint statement, the leaders described the move as "unacceptable", warning that it will sever the West Bank, harm the territorial contiguity of the Palestinian territories, and undermine the prospects of a two-state solution.

EU readies sanctions against Israel over West Bank E1 settlement project