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She was a major player in the U.N. effort to ship Ukrainian and
Russian grains to global markets at the start of the war in
Ukraine and outgoing Secretary-General António Guterres
designated her as the senior U.N. official to deal with the
Russians.
“This candidacy will be formally registered at the United
Nations in the coming weeks,” Costa Rica President Rodrigo
Chaves said in a video message Wednesday. “We trust that the
career and commitment of Rebeca Grynspan, who has very broad
experience in issues of development, international cooperation
and regional leadership, will significantly contribute to
strengthening multilateralism.”
Speaking at a news conference in San Jose on Wednesday, Grynspan
said she would campaign for the position, capitalizing on being
well known in diplomatic circles. She also acknowledged that
there would be competition for the position, including from
within Latin America.
“I know the United Nations well, I know it well enough to reform
it and well enough to defend it,” Grynspan said. “The United
Nations requires both things. Right now, being a multilateralist
means being a reformer.”
Grynspan served as Costa Rica’s vice president in the
administration of ex-President José María Figueres (1994-1998)
and later worked in various multilateral organizations.
Guterres' term ends Dec. 31, 2026, and the process to replace
him will run through the final quarter of 2026. Changes have
been made in recent years to make the selection process more
transparent, including public discussions with the candidates
and a series of straw polls to measure support before a formal
resolution. Previously the selection process was opaque and
dominated by the Security Council.
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