The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, October 14, introduced Antonio Guterres as the new Secretary-General of the organization and successor to Ban Ki-moon for a five-year term. Representatives of the 193 member countries of the United Nations unanimously elected Antonio Guterres, the former Prime Minister of Portugal, from among 13 candidates for the position of Secretary-General. Antonio Guterres is 67 years old and is fluent in Portuguese, English, French, and Spanish. He is set to succeed Ban Ki-moon, the current Secretary-General of the United Nations, on January 1, 2017. Antonio Guterres served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002 and as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from 2005 to 2015. On Thursday, he emphasized the need to combat terrorist groups while referring to the Syrian crisis, stating that he would work to promote peace and human rights globally. According to Reuters, Antonio Guterres also listed the empowerment of women and girls to achieve gender equality as another of his work priorities. According to the Associated Press, Ban Ki-moon, the current Secretary-General of the United Nations, described Mr. Guterres's selection as an 'excellent choice' and noted that Mr. Guterres, in addition to having deep political experience, is familiar with human suffering due to his work as the High Commissioner for Refugees. Barack Obama, the President of the United States, congratulated Antonio Guterres on his appointment as Secretary-General of the United Nations on Thursday. Representatives from the United Kingdom and France at the United Nations also welcomed this selection.
Antonio Guterres Officially Becomes the New Secretary-General of the United Nations
Antonio Guterres has been appointed as the new Secretary-General of the United Nations, succeeding Ban Ki-moon for a five-year term. Guterres, a former Prime Minister of Portugal and UN High Commissioner for Refugees, emphasizes combating terrorism and promoting gender equality as key priorities. His appointment is seen as a significant step in addressing global issues, including the Syrian crisis.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Antonio Guterres was elected as the new Secretary-General of the United Nations, succeeding Ban Ki-moon. He emphasized priorities such as combating terrorism and promoting gender equality in his address.
- Guterres was elected unanimously by the 193 member countries of the UN.
- He previously served as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Secretary-General of the UN plays a pivotal role in international diplomacy and addressing global crises. Guterres's experience in refugee issues is particularly relevant given the ongoing humanitarian challenges worldwide.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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