The term of the current UN Secretary General has entered its final two years and names of candidates are emerging to see who will hold the top UN post next. With the emergence of the Global South, names of several candidates representing it are being heard at the top global body.

There are reports of two leaders from the Caribbean that have emerged as frontrunners – Mia Amor Mottley, the Prime Minister of Barbados, and Denzil Douglas, former Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis.

The Caribbean, a region which has faced much neglect over the years from the developed world, has emerged as a significant group of nations contributing to the future of sustainability, economic reforms, and climate resilience.

Since its formation in 1945, the leadership of the United Nations has been held by major global powers, often called the developed world or ‘first-world nations’. The growing prominence of the Global South is now offering a different and new perspective of how common global challenges must be viewed in order to consider the concerns of nations who till now went unheard.

The common challenges the world faces as a whole, often has the greatest impact on the Global South. Be it climate change or global economic volatility, getting a holistic view is crucial to addressing these issues. A massive part of global sustainable development goals and eradicating poverty and battling malnutrition are also linked to nations of the Global South.

The names of Ms Mottley and Mr Douglas – both influential figures – are being welcomed. The two leaders from the Caribbean are widely respected and have supported each other in their part of the world. In the race to the top UN post, should either leader support the other, it will greatly boost the chance of the other to secure the seat.

The Caribbean Community, which has a grouping called the CARICOM, has support from rising global powers like India too. India also holds an annual summit with Caribbean nations called the India-CARICOM Summit – the most recent one being held in Georgetown in November, 2024.

It is not known yet if India is planning to field a candidate of their own for the top post, but should they decide not to, and instead, support the Global South in its representation at the top, it would be a huge boost for the Caribbean leader to have support of the world’s fastest-growing major economy and the most populous nation.

The term of the current United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will end on December 31, 2026.