Macky Sall withdraws his candidacy for the head of the UN: the details explained by Régis Hounkpé

Macky Sall has officially withdrawn his candidacy for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) on Friday, October 17, from Marrakech. The former Senegalese president explains this decision due to the trends from the Security Council's indicative votes, which would testify to a growing consensus in favor of a female candidate from Latin America and the Caribbean. He affirms that he made this decision with a "deep sense of responsibility," following consultations with Évariste Ndayishimiye, the current President of the African Union, and Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the current President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). However, for Régis Hounkpé, a specialist in geopolitics, international cooperation, and strategic communication, this withdrawal is also explained by political and geopolitical considerations. Interviewed by L’Observateur, the expert estimates that the former head of state of Senegal was facing the threat of a new veto and no longer had sufficient support to maintain a favorable position. "President Macky Sall was under the threat of an additional veto," he emphasizes. According to him, the results of the indicative votes did not allow him to find himself "in a position of power" in this race for the succession of the UN Secretary-General. Régis Hounkpé also points out the lack of unanimous support for Macky Sall's candidacy on the African continent. "The question was not entirely unanimous," he observes. For the interviewee of the daily of the Future Media Group, the withdrawal of the former Senegalese president thus stems from a calculation mixing diplomatic power relations, geopolitical stakes, and tactical considerations. Macky Sall finally took note of the evolution of the international context and understood that his chances of continuing the race were now compromised. As the expert summarizes, "the game was no longer playable for him."