The candidacy of former Senegalese president Macky Sall for the post of UN Secretary-General has encountered implicit rejection within the African Union, revealing tensions between Rwanda and Burundi.
Burundi, which holds the rotating AU chair, initiated a “silence procedure” on March 2, 2026 to endorse Sall’s candidacy, but more than twenty member states objected, preventing consensus.
Kigali criticized the process as flawed and lacking proper consultation, while Bujumbura defended it as a legitimate AU mechanism.
The disagreement reflects broader regional rivalries, particularly in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where Burundi supports government forces against M23 rebels, widely seen as aligned with Rwanda.
Senegal has not formally endorsed Sall’s bid, leaving him without continental backing despite Burundi’s support. Other candidates in the race include Rafael Grossi and Rebeca Grynspan, with UN public hearings scheduled to begin on April 20, 2026.
