Museveni Endorses Olara Otunnu for UN Secretary-General

President Yoweri Museveni has formally announced Uganda’s candidacy for the United Nations Secretary-General role, presenting seasoned diplomat Ambassador Olara Otunnu to representatives of the UN Security Council. The President made the announcement at State House, Entebbe, during a high-level diplomatic gathering.

During the meeting, President Museveni described Otunnu as a uniquely qualified candidate, highlighting his deep understanding of the UN system and his fluency in both English and French. “He is really the type of person you will need in the UN system because he is very much aligned to it,” Museveni stated, adding that he has known Otunnu since their university days at Makerere.

The President also leveraged the occasion to underscore Uganda’s strong international standing, referencing the country’s contributions to regional security and its open-door refugee policy as testaments to its UN credentials.

Ambassador Otunnu, expressing his gratitude for the endorsement, outlined a vision for the UN focused on conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and enhancing the organization’s transparency and efficiency through structural reforms. Key priorities include addressing global security challenges, mobilizing development financing, fostering cooperation on emerging technologies like AI, and championing merit-based recruitment within UN agencies.

To bolster Otunnu’s campaign, President Museveni revealed that a special diplomatic envoy, headed by former Prime Minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda, will be sent to various capitals to lobby foreign governments. “We are going to send our delegation led by Dr. Rugunda to your capitals,” the President informed the diplomats.

Dr. Rugunda characterized Otunnu’s candidacy as a long-awaited aspiration ready for actualization. The meeting was attended by diplomats representing permanent and non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)