Macky Sall at the UN: The dynamics of a man, the confirmation of a destiny (By Alioune Ndoye)

Four months after the initial controversies surrounding the silent procedure at the African Union, the facts have spoken with a clarity that the polemics can no longer obscure. Far from losing momentum, Macky Sall's candidacy for the position of Secretary-General of the United Nations has solidified, become more structured, and broadened. It has crossed a decisive threshold: that where ambition becomes momentum, and momentum becomes political certainty.

Because in the meantime, the essential thing has happened.

First, time has dispelled some of the misunderstandings. The initial hesitations, fueled by classic diplomatic reflexes (caution, positioning, regional rivalries), have gradually given way to a clearer understanding of the issues at stake. The more clearly expressed support, and above all Senegal's official and unwavering commitment, have restored this candidacy to its true significance: that of a serious project, pursued with unwavering dedication, and now backed by fully established national and continental legitimacy.

Then, the campaign itself changed in nature. It was no longer merely defensive or explanatory; it became proactive, structured, and strategic. The candidate did not respond to attacks with invective, but with the depth of his platform, the coherence of his vision, and the quality of his network. In a world where improvisation is often considered the norm, this rigor stands out.

Macky Sall's project for the United Nations follows a clear path: to restore the credibility of multilateralism, rebalance global governance, and revitalize international solidarity. It speaks both to major powers, concerned with global stability, and to countries of the Global South, seeking justice and recognition. This ability to reconcile often divergent expectations is not theoretical; it is the product of concrete experience in power, negotiation, and mediation.

For this is indeed one of the major strengths of this candidacy: it rests on a proven track record. A former head of state, former president of the African Union, a key player in major regional mediations, and a credible interlocutor with international institutions, Macky Sall is not a candidate of convenience. He is a man of complex situations, of difficult compromises, of decisive action. At a time when the UN suffers less from a lack of standards than from a lack of authority and trust, this profile makes all the difference.

But beyond the man and the program, it is the very geography of support that reveals the political truth today.

Contrary to alarmist or self-serving narratives, Macky Sall's candidacy has not become isolated; it has broadened. Over the weeks, it has garnered increasingly strong support from Africa, as well as credible allies beyond the continent. It increasingly embodies this rare convergence between regional legitimacy and international acceptance. And it is precisely this convergence that worries certain actors, more concerned with preserving the old order than with embracing necessary change.

It is in this context that we must analyze the late applications that have been added to the process.

Presented as alternatives, these proposals are more reactive than constructive. They arrive at a point where the timetable is already well advanced, where several candidates have already participated in interactive dialogues and the UN Town Hall on July 23, 2026, and where the Security Council is preparing to enter its review phase. In multilateral diplomacy, timing is never neutral: arriving late exposes one from the outset to a handicap in terms of method and perception.

Furthermore, these late applications run up against a requirement for procedural consistency. The President of the General Assembly has clearly reiterated that candidates submitted after July 23, 2026, must be heard as soon as possible, and she has encouraged the Security Council to include in its review process only those candidates who have already been heard through interactive dialogue. This is not a definitive exclusion, but rather a clear priority given to applications that have already passed the essential stages of the process.

Finally, this situation confirms a crucial point: the credibility of a candidacy rests not only on a name or ambition, but also on its ability to align with the established institutional timeline. A sound approach doesn't simply exist; it requires preparation, presentation, and sustained effort, adhering to the established procedures, deadlines, and spirit of the process.

Therefore, we must call a spade a spade: these late candidacies do not, at this stage, constitute more convincing alternatives. Rather, they implicitly underscore the strength of Macky Sall's candidacy. They do not undermine the momentum; they highlight the gap between an already established candidacy and initiatives that are still struggling to find their full coherence.

Because that is precisely what it is today: no longer a candidacy that is being discussed, but a candidacy that is already established.

Africa is gradually recognizing in Macky Sall a figure capable of representing it without confining it, of amplifying its voice without silencing it, of defending its interests without pitting them against the rest of the world. And the rest of the world, for its part, sees in him a reliable and experienced interlocutor, capable of navigating the complexities of a changing international system.

There is something rare about this convergence. And rare moments call for clear choices.

Supporting Macky Sall's candidacy today is no longer simply betting on a man. It's about joining a movement that has already proven its worth. It's about recognizing that, beyond short-term rivalries, a clear path forward has emerged. Above all, it's about refusing to let belated initiatives, shifting arguments, or narrow-minded calculations obscure an undeniable reality.

History does not always advance by upheaval. It sometimes progresses through slow consolidation, through settling, through self-evident truths that become undeniable.

We're here.

And this obvious fact has a name: Macky Sall.

Alioune NDOYE

Mayor of Dakar-Plateau

Dakar-Plateau, July 28, 2026