Türkiye has formally put forward Feridun Sinirlioğlu, the Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), as its candidate for UN Secretary-General, Anadolu Agency (AA) and Sputnik Türkiye reported early on Saturday.
The bid was announced by Ambassador Ahmet Yıldız, Türkiye’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. According to both reports, Ankara sent a formal application letter to the President of the UN General Assembly, enclosing Sinirlioğlu’s CV and a vision document setting out his approach to the post.
Why Ankara entered the race now
Yıldız said no candidate had yet secured broad agreement in the ongoing selection process and that Türkiye had nominated Sinirlioğlu to contribute to the UN and help move the process forward, the two outlets reported.
He also said Türkiye respects the established convention that the next Secretary-General should come from the Latin America and Caribbean region.
A career diplomat
Sinirlioğlu is one of Türkiye’s most senior diplomats. He served as foreign minister from August to November 2015 and was Türkiye’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York from 2016 to 2023, according to AA and Sputnik Türkiye.
He was elected OSCE Secretary General in December 2024, as Serbestiyet reported at the time, and AA said he has held the post since 6 December 2024.
Neither report said when the UN Security Council, which recommends a candidate to the General Assembly, would begin formal consideration of the nominees.
Sources
- Türkiye, Feridun Sinirlioğlu’nu BM Genel Sekreterliği için aday gösterdi (AA)
- Türkiye’den BM Genel Sekreterliği için Feridun Sinirlioğlu’na resmi adaylık başvurusu (Sputnik Türkiye)
- Feridun Sinirlioğlu AGİT Genel Sekreterliği’ne seçildi: Türkiye ve Yunanistan’ın ortak adayıydı (Serbestiyet)
Photo: Jakub Hałun / CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
