UAE Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh has spoken of her commitment to ensuring Palestinians and Israelis can live in 'security, freedom and dignity' after entering the running to be the next UN Secretary General.
Ms Nusseibeh, who previously served as the country's representative to the organisation, welcomed Palestine's support for her candidacy, which was announced on Wednesday.
Secretary General Antonio Guterres's second and final term will finish at the end of the year, and Ms Nusseibeh is attracting widespread support in the region for her bid to take on the position.
The senior Emirati diplomat has played an instrumental role in UAE foreign policy in recent years and has been a prominent voice in calling for peace in Gaza, stressing the need to deliver crucial aid to the enclave.
“Throughout my career, including at the United Nations, I have worked to advance a political pathway that enables Palestinians and Israelis to live in security, freedom and dignity,” Ms Nusseibeh said on social media platform X, in response to Palestine backing her campaign. “I deeply appreciate Palestine’s confidence in my candidacy.”
In November 2025, she set out the importance of providing continuing assistance to needy civilians affected by the Gaza war during a visit to Cyprus aimed at bolstering aid efforts.
Ms Nusseibeh said during the trip that a maritime corridor from Cyprus would be essential to efforts to step up the relief response.
Ms Nusseibeh was appointed as Minister of State in September 2025 and has previously served as Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Before that, she was the UAE's ambassador to the UN for more than a decade until April 2024.
UAE aid drive
The Emirates remains at the forefront of efforts to provide financial assistance to Gaza and ensure a steady of flow of aid reaches needy civilians. In August, the UAE passed 1,000 days of continuous support, with more than Dh14.2 billion ($3.89 billion) of aid sent.
That funding has helped set up a floating hospital in Egypt and two medical centres in Gaza and has brought thousands of medical patients, including many suffering from cancer and war-related injuries, to the Emirates to receive care.
A US-backed ceasefire in October 2025 halted large-scale fighting in Gaza, but it has not ended Israeli strikes, and little progress has been made towards a permanent peace.
Much of Gaza's population of more than two million has been displaced by the war, with chronic food shortages and limited access to health services and aid leading to a worsening humanitarian crisis.