The UN Security Council convened in NEW YORK on Friday for its sixth informal vote, known as a straw poll, to determine candidates for the next UN secretary-general. The Xinhua news agency reported on this latest development in the selection process. This sixth poll indicates ongoing efforts to reach a consensus among the Council’s permanent members regarding a successor to the current UN chief. While the results of this specific straw poll were not immediately released, it represents another step in a series of votes designed to narrow the field of candidates. The process aims to identify a nominee who is acceptable to all five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Further straw polls are expected to be held until a clear frontrunner emerges, ultimately leading to a formal recommendation to the General Assembly. The final decision rests with the UN General Assembly.