- By Adrien Poussou
As former Senegalese President Macky Sall seeks to persuade United Nations member states that he can embody a renewed vision of multilateralism, the greatest obstacle to his candidacy may not come from other regions of the world, but from Africa itself. The emergence of competing African candidates has revived an old affliction: division.
On July 17 in Dakar, as Macky Sall returned home for a few hours to meet with his successor, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, seasoned observers could not fail to notice the presence of former Bissau-Guinean President Umaro Sissoco Embaló at his side. Ever since the former Senegalese president announced his intention to seek the office of Secretary-General of the United Nations, Embaló has emerged as one of his most steadfast and visible supporters. The two leaders have traveled extensively together, sharing numerous diplomatic engagements, convinced that this candidacy transcends Macky Sall’s personal ambitions and speaks instead to a broader African aspiration.
Together, they have been seen in the United Arab Emirates to offer their condolences to President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, whose father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, remains the founding father of the federation. They have also traveled to Beijing, Moscow, Washington, Islamabad, Bogotá, Paris, and several African capitals.
The former Bissau-Guinean president’s presence alongside the Senegalese leader is far from incidental. Umaro Sissoco Embaló understood early on that this is not merely Macky Sall’s campaign, but Africa’s. At stake is the continent’s ability to rally behind one of its own in a global contest.
The same conviction inspired Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, the current Chairperson of the African Union, when he championed Macky Sall’s candidacy at the United Nations long before Senegal officially endorsed him on July 20. Ndayishimiye acted with the foresight of a head of state who understands that a continent’s standing is also measured by its ability to speak with one voice when seeking the world’s highest offices.
Yet this contrasts sharply with the hesitation, and in some cases the rivalry, emerging elsewhere across the continent. That is precisely where the real issue lies, especially considering the heavy price Africa has already paid for its divisions. The transatlantic slave trade and slavery flourished largely because African nations were divided, competing against one another and unable to present a united front against external powers.
Colonial empires later exploited those same fractures, pitting peoples against peoples and kingdoms against kingdoms. Even the struggle for independence unfolded in a fragmented manner, and the decades that followed saw the continent torn apart by internal conflicts while the rest of the world continued to shape global affairs without it.
Today, that same pattern of division threatens to cost Africa the position of UN Secretary-General. President Macky Sall brings an exceptional record to the table: twelve years as head of state, a successful tenure as Chairperson of the African Union, a peaceful transfer of power, recognized experience in managing regional crises, and a clear vision for a more effective and reformed multilateral organization. Even so, some African countries have chosen to pursue their own path. Uganda, for instance, has decided to field its own candidate, Olara Otunnu, an experienced diplomat whose entry into the race, at this stage, weakens Africa’s collective position.
This initiative can only be seen as a political miscalculation, providing members of the Security Council — particularly its five permanent members — with the perfect justification for sidelining Africa on the grounds that the continent lacks consensus. Once again, it highlights Africa’s recurring dilemma: it is capable of producing outstanding leaders, yet struggles to unite behind them. Macky Sall is not merely Senegal’s candidate, nor Burundi’s.
By virtue of his experience as a head of state, former Chairperson of the African Union, and globally respected diplomat, he represents the strongest candidate Africa can put forward at this pivotal moment. His commitment to African integration, his role in securing the African Union’s permanent seat in the G20, and his deep understanding of peace, security, and development challenges make him a credible candidate far beyond Africa’s borders.
Africa possesses compelling arguments in its favor. Its abundant natural resources, youthful population, demographic dynamism, immense potential in the digital economy, strategic reserves of rare earth elements and precious metals, and its growing contribution to addressing global climate and security challenges together constitute a formidable source of diplomatic influence. In other words, if the continent spoke with one voice, it could persuade the members of the Security Council to entrust the leadership of the United Nations to one of its own.
Instead, our divisions not only squander these strengths but also project the image of a continent incapable of reaching agreement on matters of fundamental importance, thereby weakening its strongest candidate. They provide ammunition to those in Washington, London, Paris, Moscow, or Beijing who would rather see the next Secretary-General come from another region. In doing so, we turn Africa’s candidacy into a contest among Africans themselves.
It is time for those African capitals tempted by this solitary path to reconsider. Putting forward a rival candidate against Macky Sall is not an expression of sovereignty; it is an act of strategic short-sightedness. It risks bringing the continent into disrepute through division at precisely the moment when unity could have enabled it to write a new chapter in its multilateral history. Africa has already paid too high a price for its fractures. It paid in human lives during the slave trade, in territory and resources during colonization, and in lost development opportunities through decades of civil wars and sterile rivalries. It cannot afford to lose the position of UN Secretary-General through its own disunity.
Admittedly, President Macky Sall is not a flawless candidate. Yet he embodies the most compelling combination of national experience, continental legitimacy, and international credibility. Africa is the region of the world that has most consistently called for reform of global governance. It will struggle to persuade the international community of the need for such reform if it cannot first unite behind a common cause.
Adrien Poussou is a former Minister of Communication of the Central African Republic and President of the Alternative Group for African Renewal (GARA). He is an author and political analyst on African and international affairs. The views expressed are the author’s own.