Costa Rica announced on Wednesday the nomination of veteran diplomat and former Vice President Rebecca Grynspan to become the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Grynspan currently serves as the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva and is a prominent economist.

She was a key figure in the UN’s efforts to ship Ukrainian and Russian grain to global markets at the start of the war in Ukraine, and outgoing Secretary-General António Guterres appointed her as the UN’s senior official to handle relations with Russia.

Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves said in a video message on Wednesday: “This nomination will be officially registered at the United Nations in the coming weeks. We trust that Rebecca Grynspan’s career, commitment, extensive experience in development, international cooperation, and regional leadership will greatly contribute to strengthening multilateralism.”

At a press conference held in San José on Wednesday, Grynspan said she will campaign for the position, leveraging her wide recognition in diplomatic circles, while acknowledging that the competition will be strong, including from within Latin America.