Senegal’s former president, Macky Sall, is among four candidates auditioning this week for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations, as the global body prepares for a leadership transition at the end of the year.

Sall is the only African contender in the race to succeed António Guterres, whose second five-year term concludes on December 31, 2026.

The selection process, which involves a series of public hearings, will see candidates engage in question-and-answer sessions with ambassadors representing the UN’s 193 member states. The number of contenders this year is notably smaller compared to the 13 candidates who participated in the 2016 race that eventually produced Guterres.

Chile’s former president, Michelle Bachelet, is scheduled to be the first to appear before diplomats, followed by Argentina’s Rafael Mariano Grossi, who currently heads the UN’s nuclear watchdog.

On the second day of the hearings, Rebeca Grynspan, the UN’s trade chief, will take her turn before Sall concludes the session lineup.

Observers say the reduced number of candidates reflects a shift in global political dynamics. Unlike a decade ago, when the international environment was relatively stable, the current geopolitical landscape is marked by deep divisions and ongoing conflicts.