NEW YORK (13 October 2016) – The General Assembly today appointed by acclamation the former Prime Minister of Portugal and former UN High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, as the next United Nations Secretary-General, to succeed Mr. Ban Ki-moon when he steps down on 31 December.
Thanking the General Assembly for appointing him as the next Secretary-General, Mr. Guterres said he was grateful to the Member States for their trust in him as well as for the transparent and open selection process they undertook.
“I believe this process means that the true winner today is the credibility of the UN. And it also made very clear to me that, as Secretary-General, having been chosen by all Member States, I must be at the service of them all equally and with no agenda but the one enshrined in the UN Charter,” said Mr. Guterres.
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