The United Arab Emirates has officially appointed Lana Nasiba, the country's top diplomat and the country's former representative to the United Nations, to the position of Secretary General of this organization.

The United Arab Emirates has officially appointed Lana Nasiba, the country's top diplomat and the country's former representative to the United Nations, to the position of Secretary General of this organization.

The 48-year-old diplomat's entry into the race to succeed Antonio Guterres comes at a time when the UN Security Council has been unable to reach an agreement on the appointment of its permanent members after several rounds of informal voting on the three current prominent candidates.

The official news agency of the United Arab Emirates announced on Wednesday, 29 Bahar, that the country's president, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, announced the appointment of Lana Nasiba on behalf of the presidents of the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.

Ms. Nasiba, who is currently the UAE's foreign minister, was the country's permanent representative to the United Nations from 2013 to 2024, and during the UAE's membership in the Security Council in 2022 and 2023, she chaired the council's meetings twice.

Lana Nasiva is a member of a Palestinian family with roots in Jerusalem. His father, Zaki Nasiba, is a long-time figure in the United Arab Emirates government and a cultural advisor to the country's president.