Rebeca Grynspan, the Costa Rican candidate for secretary general of the United Nations, met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on April 7 as part of her campaign for the top UN post.
The meeting comes as several candidates compete to lead the organization, a position that holds significant influence over international cooperation and global policy. The selection process is underway, with voting scheduled this year and the new secretary general set to begin duties in early 2027.
Grynspan said she and Lavrov exchanged views on the United Nations during their meeting. “We reaffirmed the importance of respecting the Charter of the UN. I shared my vision on how the organization can refocus its efforts, strengthen its effectiveness, promote necessary reforms and respond more directly to current global challenges,” Grynspan wrote on her social media accounts.
Costa Rica officially nominated Grynspan for secretary general on March 3. The diplomatic note was signed by President Rodrigo Chaves. Grynspan previously served as vice president of Costa Rica from 1994 to 1998 and as deputy finance minister from 1986 to 1988. She has also held prominent roles in international organizations including serving as secretary general of the Ibero-American General Secretariat between 2014 and 2021, where she presided over regional summits of heads of state and government. In addition, she was assistant administrator at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean at UNDP.
Since 2021, Grynspan has been serving as secretary general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Her candidacy faces competition from three others: former Chilean president Michelle Bachelet—both aiming to become the first woman in history to hold this role—Argentine Rafael Mariano Grossi, and former Senegalese president Macky Sall. Argentine Virginia Gamba was also a candidate but later lost support from Maldives.
The vote will determine who will take office at the start of January 2027 for a five-year term.
