KAMPALA, Uganda — As wars multiply across continents, trust in international institutions declines and artificial intelligence begins transforming economies faster than governments can regulate it, the contest to lead the United Nations has become far more than a search for another diplomat.
It is increasingly a debate over what the United Nations (UN) itself should become.
For Uganda’s nominee, veteran diplomat Olara Otunnu, the answer is clear.
The United Nations (UN), he argues, must rediscover its moral authority, reinvent its institutions and prepare humanity for technological and geopolitical changes unlike anything the organisation has faced since its founding in 1945.
His vision, contained in a 12-page manifesto titled “Outline Agenda for the United Nations,” accompanies Uganda’s formal nomination of the former United Nations Under-Secretary-General to succeed António Guterres, whose second and final term expires on December 31, 2026.
While many Secretary-General candidates traditionally present broad diplomatic priorities, Otunnu’s document reads more like a blueprint for rebuilding an institution he believes stands at one of the most consequential moments in its history.
It is simultaneously an argument for institutional reform, an appeal for renewed global cooperation and a warning that the international system risks falling behind the pace of technological change.
Whether the world’s major powers embrace that vision remains uncertain.
But the manifesto provides the clearest indication yet of how Otunnu would seek to redefine the United Nations if entrusted with its highest office.
A United Nations at a crossroads
Uganda formally unveiled Otunnu’s candidacy on Sunday, describing him as a diplomat whose career uniquely bridges national leadership, multilateral diplomacy and humanitarian service.
“The Government of Uganda is confident that Ambassador Otunnu’s unique breadth of experience, spanning the UN Secretariat, the Security Council, national government, academia and grassroots peacebuilding, makes him exceptionally well suited to lead the United Nations at this critical juncture in global affairs,” Permanent Secretary Vincent Bagiire said.
Bagiire called upon all United Nations member states to support Uganda’s candidate.
The nomination followed Kampala’s submission of Otunnu’s candidature, curriculum vitae and vision statement to the United Nations on July 24.
One day later, General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock and Security Council President Zénon Mukongo Nga formally circulated the documents to all 193 member states, officially placing Uganda in the race.
Yet for Otunnu, the campaign is less about personal ambition than institutional urgency.
His manifesto begins with an assessment that the world has entered an era where scientific innovation offers extraordinary promise while geopolitical instability threatens unprecedented disruption.
Artificial intelligence, biotechnology and digital innovation, he argues, possess enormous potential to eliminate disease, reduce poverty and improve human welfare.
At precisely the same time, wars, geopolitical rivalries, climate pressures and autonomous technologies are creating risks that no nation can address alone.
“It is against this backdrop of hope and great promise and the gathering threats that the United Nations is once again called upon to fulfil its historic mission,” Otunnu writes.
“It is an opportunity to reinvent and to renew and to give the United Nations a new lease on life.”
Rebuilding the organisation’s moral authority
Unlike presidents or prime ministers, the UN Secretary-General commands neither armies nor economic power.
Otunnu argues that the office derives its influence from something less tangible but equally powerful.
Moral authority.
“The UN Secretary General has moral authority that flows from the principles of the UN Charter and the support of Member States,” he writes.
“When this asset is carefully and strategically deployed by the Secretary General, it benefits the international community as a whole.”
That philosophy reflects Otunnu’s decades inside the United Nations system.
As the organisation’s first Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict between 1998 and 2005, he helped transform protection of children from a humanitarian concern into a permanent Security Council priority.
Rather than relying on coercive power, he persuaded governments to adopt international monitoring mechanisms and accountability frameworks that continue operating today.
His manifesto suggests the same approach should guide the broader institution.
Before the United Nations can effectively resolve conflicts, he argues, it must first restore international confidence in its impartiality, credibility and relevance.
A reform agenda beyond bureaucracy
Institutional reform occupies a central place in Otunnu’s programme.
He strongly endorses the ongoing UN80 reform initiative, arguing that financial pressures, overlapping mandates and administrative inefficiencies threaten the organisation’s long-term effectiveness.
But unlike previous reform debates, which often centred on cost-cutting, Otunnu frames reform as essential for restoring legitimacy.
He supports reducing duplication, improving accountability and aligning resources with priorities established by member states.
“The next Secretary General should shepherd the organization and its Member States in undertaking genuine and lasting reforms,” he writes.
International governance specialists have increasingly argued that reform has become unavoidable.
The United Nations today faces expanding humanitarian responsibilities while many donor countries struggle with fiscal constraints and competing domestic priorities.
Analysts say any future Secretary-General will inherit an institution expected to deliver more with increasingly limited financial resources.
Otunnu’s proposals suggest managerial reform alone will be insufficient unless accompanied by renewed political trust between governments and the Secretariat.
Peace before politics
While institutional reform addresses the organisation’s internal challenges, Otunnu argues that peacebuilding remains the United Nations’ fundamental purpose.
His manifesto identifies Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iran as immediate diplomatic priorities requiring sustained international engagement.
Rather than proposing sweeping new peace doctrines, he advocates pragmatic diplomacy tailored to individual conflicts.
For Ukraine, he proposes supporting or convening an international peace conference.
In Gaza, he argues humanitarian intervention should expand alongside renewed diplomatic efforts drawing upon both the Oslo Accords and the Abraham Accords.
For eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), he supports implementation of the recently negotiated Washington Peace and Prosperity Accord while encouraging deeper African Union involvement in Sudan.
Those proposals reflect Otunnu’s longstanding belief that durable peace emerges through sustained dialogue rather than military victory alone.
His experience working with children affected by conflict also shapes another recurring theme.
The protection of civilians.
Particularly women and children.
Artificial intelligence: The next global frontier
Perhaps the most distinctive feature of Otunnu’s manifesto concerns artificial intelligence.
Unlike previous Secretary-General candidates, he treats AI governance not as a technical issue but as a defining challenge for international peace and development.
He proposes establishing a dedicated United Nations institution responsible for developing global frameworks governing artificial intelligence.
Its mandate would include regulation, ethics, employment impacts, safety standards and international cooperation.
The proposal reflects growing concern among policymakers that technological innovation is advancing faster than regulatory systems.
While individual countries have introduced national AI policies, comprehensive international governance remains largely absent.
Otunnu argues that fragmented regulation risks widening inequality, increasing geopolitical competition and leaving billions of people excluded from technological progress.
Instead, he envisions AI becoming an instrument for financial inclusion, improved healthcare and poverty reduction.
His proposal positions the United Nations as the natural venue for negotiating international rules before competing national approaches become irreconcilable.
Climate without inequality
On climate policy, Otunnu attempts to balance environmental responsibility with economic fairness.
He supports stronger implementation of the Paris Agreement while warning against approaches that disproportionately burden developing countries.
Rather than framing climate action as a choice between environmental protection and development, he argues both objectives must advance together.
His proposals emphasise climate finance, technology transfer and international partnerships that help developing countries pursue sustainable growth without sacrificing economic opportunity.
That position reflects broader African concerns that global climate commitments should recognise differing historical responsibilities and development needs.
Bringing the United Nations closer to ordinary people
One recurring criticism of the United Nations is that it often appears distant from the communities affected by its decisions.
Otunnu argues the organisation must narrow that gap.
“We need to connect the Global to the Community,” he writes.
His manifesto calls for stronger engagement with women, young people, faith communities and civil society alongside traditional government diplomacy.
He also advocates developing a comprehensive international migration framework balancing humanitarian responsibilities with national sovereignty and security concerns.
Taken together, those proposals suggest a Secretary-General seeking to make the United Nations more accessible without diminishing its diplomatic role.
Why Uganda believes he is ready
Uganda’s nomination rests heavily on Otunnu’s international credentials.
The government highlights his role as the first United Nations Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, his presidency of the Security Council in December 1981 and his contribution to what became known as the Otunnu Formula, the procedure used for selecting Secretaries-General since the early 1980s.
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It also cites his leadership of the International Peace Academy, academic appointments across Europe and North America, international honours and more recent peacebuilding initiatives in northern Uganda.
Collectively, those experiences present Otunnu as both practitioner and reformer.
Someone who has worked inside the United Nations while remaining willing to challenge its shortcomings.
The harder battle ahead
Whether that vision ultimately secures the Secretary-Generalship depends on factors extending well beyond qualifications.
Under the UN Charter, the Security Council must first recommend a candidate before the General Assembly votes.
Any permanent member can effectively block a nomination through its veto.
Geopolitical considerations therefore remain decisive.
Africa’s argument that it deserves another Secretary-General after nearly two decades may strengthen Otunnu’s prospects.
His reputation as a consensus builder may also help.
Ultimately, however, the contest will test whether the world’s major powers believe the United Nations requires precisely the kind of transformation Otunnu is proposing.
His manifesto makes one argument unmistakably clear.
The next Secretary-General should not merely administer the existing institution.
He or she must redefine it for a world confronting technological revolutions, geopolitical fragmentation and challenges that increasingly transcend national borders.
Whether member states agree will determine not only Otunnu’s political future but also the direction of the United Nations itself during one of the most uncertain periods in its history.
