UAE diplomat Lana Nusseibeh has emerged as a leading candidate for the top job at the United Nations. She has had a decorated career, serving as the UAE’s ambassador to the UN from 2013-2024 and playing a key role in reshaping the country’s international profile.
Nusseibeh’s career has combined multilateral diplomacy in New York with senior leadership in the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She has been a strong advocate for women’s participation in peace processes and international security, and has been praised for her leadership during the UAE’s term on the UN Security Council from 2022-2023.
Early Life and Education
Nusseibeh attended Wycombe Abbey, an independent girls’ boarding school in Buckinghamshire, England, from 1990-1997. She then attended the University of Cambridge, earning a BA (Hons) and MA in History, and later earned an MA with Distinction in Israeli and Jewish Diaspora Studies from the University of London in 2003.
Nusseibeh began her professional career in UAE government policy and communications, serving as the Director of Research and Communications for the Ministry of State for Federal National Council Affairs. She later moved into the energy sector, becoming the Head of the IRENA Campaign Task Force, where she worked to position the UAE as a leading player in renewable energy in the Middle East.
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Rise to Prominence
In 2009, Nusseibeh was given the responsibility of mapping out the UAE’s foreign policy plans, establishing the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Policy Planning Department and serving as its founding director. During her time in this role, she was handed important international assignments, including serving as the UAE Deputy Sherpa to the G20 in 2011 and as the UAE Co-Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan from 2010-2012.
Nusseibeh entered the global stage when she was appointed as the UAE’s ambassador to the United Nations in 2013, a role she held for over 11 years. She quickly established herself as a respected figure within the corridors of power at the United Nations, serving in various roles including Co-Chair of the Friends of the Future of the UN and Co-Facilitator of the Revitalisation of the UN General Assembly.
One of the most internationally consequential periods of her UN career came when the UAE held a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2022-2023 term. Nusseibeh led the UAE’s diplomatic engagement at the UN during this time, playing a key role in securing the adoption of Resolution 2720, which established a UN mechanism to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
Nusseibeh’s nomination has also been praised by Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic advisor to President Sheikh Mohamed, who believes it serves to further reinforce the UAE’s growing presence on the international stage. If Nusseibeh were to be appointed, she would be the second person from the Middle East to hold the role, and the first ever from the UAE, marking a significant milestone in the country’s diplomatic history. The UN has been led by men since its establishment in 1945, making Nusseibeh’s potential appointment a historic moment for the organization.
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Her experience as President of the UN Women Executive Board in 2017 has also been noted as a significant achievement. Nusseibeh’s work in this role helped to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment around the world.
International Recognition
Nusseibeh’s role in securing the adoption of this resolution has been widely praised, with many noting her ability to build agreement among council members who disagreed on how to respond to the war in Gaza.
Nusseibeh’s potential appointment would be historic, as she would be the first woman to hold the position and the first person from the UAE to serve as Secretary-General. The UN’s term for Secretary-General ends on December 31, 2026.
