Rebeca Grynspan

In the eighty-year history of the United Nations, a woman has yet to serve as Secretary-General. The process of nominating a new UNSG is now underway, with the selected candidate assuming office in 2027. Rebeca Grynspan is one of four women seeking the position in a field of six candidates. 

Born in San José, Costa Rica, Grynspan studied economics at the University of Costa Rica and later earned a master’s degree in economics from the University of Sussex, in England. Grynspan has held several ministerial and economic policy roles in the Costa Rican government, and she served as the nation’s Vice President from 1994 to 1998. She has also held senior-level positions at the UN. Since 2021, she has served as Secretary-General of UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD), where she has been involved in discussions on food security, trade, and development finance. Previously, she served as Secretary-General of the Ibero-American Conference and as Associate Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP). 

If appointed UNSG, Grynspan says she will prioritize the promotion of multilateral cooperation to address global economic inequality, trade imbalances, and sustainable development challenges. She likewise seeks to strengthen international coordination on food security, development financing, and crisis response for developing countries.