Namibia is backing the election of a woman as the next United Nations Secretary-General.

This was announced by the Minister of International Relations and Trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, who said that 81 years after the establishment of the United Nations, it is time for a woman to occupy the organisation's top leadership position as part of efforts to advance gender equality and women's representation in global leadership.

Eight candidates are in the race to succeed the incumbent Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term is coming to an end on the 31st of December this year.

The race has a strong gender aspect, with five women among the eight candidates.

The selection of the successor is underway, with the Security Council conducting its straw polls before making a recommendation to the members of the General Assembly. 

"In September, a very important event will take place at the United Nations that addresses Namibia's progress regarding the participation of Namibian women in decision-making. We are going to elect a new Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the point that Namibia was making at the Council is that 81 years after the formation of the United Nations, it is time, in the spirit of gender equality, that a woman occupy that office. And we hope that this message is heard not only by SADAC member states but also by all the UN member states."

The job of the Secretary-General unofficially rotates by region, and it's the turn of Latin America and the Caribbean; hence, six candidates are from this region. 

Senegalese Macky Sall and Ugandan Olara Otunnu are the two African candidates in the running.