EXCLUSIVE | Indonesia’s Yusril Mahendra eyes UN SecGen post

By Monsi A. Serrano

Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra, the Indonesian official who helped facilitate the transfer of Filipino death-row prisoner Mary Jane Veloso to the Philippines, is considering the possibility of becoming Indonesia’s candidate for United Nations Secretary-General.

In an exclusive response to THEPHILBIZNEWS, Yusril confirmed that he is considering the possibility, while emphasizing that the discussion remains largely within academic circles.

“I am considering it. I think it’s just a discourse among the academic circles as represented by article of Hafid Abbas and others,” Yusril said in response to THEPHILBIZNEWS.

His statement came after two Indonesian publications raised the possibility of Indonesia putting his name forward for the UN’s top diplomatic and administrative post.

TIMES Indonesia published an article titled “Could Yusril Ihza Mahendra Be Indonesia’s Candidate for UN Secretary-General?” while Rilpolitik separately examined Yusril’s possible candidacy in an article titled “Yusril, Boutros-Ghali and Indonesia’s Place in the UN.”

Both articles present the idea as an emerging discussion rather than an announcement of a formal Indonesian nomination.

From Veloso to a possible global role

For Filipinos, Yusril became particularly visible through his role in the negotiations that led to Veloso’s transfer to the Philippines in December 2024 after nearly 15 years on Indonesia’s death row.

Yusril was among the key Indonesian officials involved in the process, with Indonesia and the Philippines reaching an agreement that allowed Veloso to return home while her legal situation remained subject to Philippine jurisdiction and applicable legal processes.

The episode highlighted the role of diplomacy and international legal cooperation in resolving one of the most sensitive cases in Indonesia-Philippines relations.

Yusril’s legal and governmental background is also central to the arguments being made for considering him for an international post. The Rilpolitik article compares his combination of legal scholarship, politics and government service with that of former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali.

No formal nomination yet

Yusril’s response to THEPHILBIZNEWS underscores the distinction between his name being publicly discussed and Indonesia formally putting him forward.

At this point, there is no indication in the two articles of a formal Indonesian government nomination of Yusril.

The UN Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly following a recommendation from the Security Council. António Guterres’ second term ends on December 31, 2026, with a new Secretary-General scheduled to take office on January 1, 2027.

For now, Yusril describes the discussion surrounding his name as an academic discourse while leaving open the possibility of becoming Indonesia’s candidate.

If Yusril were ultimately nominated by Indonesia and subsequently selected, he would become the first Indonesian to serve as UN Secretary-General, marking a historic milestone for the country.

For Indonesia, such an outcome would also place an Indonesian lawyer, constitutional scholar, politician and senior government official at the helm of the United Nations at a time of profound geopolitical tensions and growing calls for stronger representation of the Global South.

THEPHILBIZNEWS asked Yusril whether the Indonesian government had discussed his possible candidacy, what an Indonesian Secretary-General could bring to the UN and the Global South, and whether he would accept a formal nomination.

His response indicates that he is open to considering the possibility, while making clear that, for now, the discussion remains at the level of academic discourse rather than an established Indonesian government initiative.