{"id":3355,"date":"2016-10-13T19:35:07","date_gmt":"2016-10-13T19:35:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.internationaldiplomat.com\/?p=3355"},"modified":"2016-10-13T19:35:07","modified_gmt":"2016-10-13T19:35:07","slug":"antonio-guterres-appointed-next-un-secretary-general-acclamation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/12h71.com\/?p=3355","title":{"rendered":"Ant\u00f3nio Guterres appointed next UN Secretary-General by acclamation"},"content":{"rendered":"

13 October 2016 \u2013 The General Assembly today appointed by acclamation the former Prime Minister of Portugal, Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, as the next United Nations Secretary-General, to succeed Ban Ki-moon when he steps down on 31 December.
\nMr. Guterres, aged 67, was Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002, and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015. He will become the world’s top diplomat on 1 January 2017, and hold that post for the next five years.
\nAdopting a consensus resolution<\/a> put forward by its President, Peter Thomson, the Assembly acted on the recommendation<\/a> on the UN Security Council, which on 6 October forwarded Mr. Guterres’ name to the 193-member body as its nominee for UN Secretary-General for a five-year period, ending 31 December 2021.
\nTen years to the day after his own appointment as Secretary-General, Mr. Ban said: \u201cSecretary-General-elect Guterres is well known to all of us in the hall. But he is perhaps best known where it counts most: on the frontlines of armed conflict and humanitarian suffering,\u201d referring to his time as head of the UN refugee agency.
\nNoting that he has long valued his advice, and long admired his spirit of service, Mr. Ban declared: \u201cHe is a wonderful choice to steer this Organization as we build on the progress of the past decade, while addressing the insecurity and uncertainties of today’s world.\u201d
\n 
\nFrederick Musiiwa Makamure Shava, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), also congratulated Mr. Guterres on his election, saying that the Secretary-General-designate \u201cis a strong humanitarian advocate and a successful leader,\u201d and that he looks forward to working with him.
\nThe Assembly’s resolution also welcomed the historic process<\/a> Member States set in motion late last year: the selection of a new United Nations Secretary-General, traditionally<\/a> decided behind closed-doors by a few powerful countries, has for the first time in history, involved public discussions with each candidate campaigning for the world’s top diplomatic post.
\nThese so-called ‘informal briefings’ between the candidates, UN Member States and civil society representatives kicked off<\/a> on 12 April, when the first three candidates presented their ‘vision statements’ and answered questions on how they would promote sustainable development, improve efforts to create peace, protect human rights, and deal with huge humanitarian catastrophes should they be selected to lead the Organization.
\nMr. Ban also praised UN Member States for the selection process and emphasized that it \u201copened the [selection] process to the world.\u201d
\nHe further noted that the new steps taken this year established a new benchmark of openness and engagement.
\nThe selection process included, for the first time in the history of the Organization, public hearings with the General Assembly where candidates presented their vision and responded to the questions fielded by the Member States. These informal hearings were also televised and webcast.
\nThe process started off with a joint call from the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council formally soliciting candidates and from the outset, acknowledged the importance of geographic and gender balance in senior posts.
\nFor his part, Assembly President Thomson highlighted<\/a> that the selection process underscored the principles of transparency and inclusivity.
\n\u201cIt was a process that specifically sought out candidates who embody a firm commitment to the purposes and principles of the [UN] Charter; who exemplify the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity; and who have proven leadership and managerial abilities, extensive experience in international relations, and strong diplomatic, communication and multilingual skills,\u201d said Mr. Thomson in his remarks.
\n\u201cI am confident that Mr. Guterres will serve the global community with dedication, as a moral authority, and be the voice of our collective conscience and humanity, throughout his term,\u201d he added.
\nAssuring the Secretary-General-designate of his full support throughout the present session of the General Assembly, the body\u2019s President stressed that he would do everything within his power to facilitate a smooth transition.
\nIn this context, Mr. Guterres will be participating in a meeting called by President Thomson, on 19 October, to discuss with the General Assembly the critical, priority and emerging issues for the global Organization.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

13 October 2016 \u2013 The General Assembly today appointed by acclamation the former Prime Minister of Portugal, Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, as the next United Nations Secretary-General, to succeed Ban Ki-moon when he steps down on 31 December. Mr. Guterres, aged 67, was Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002, and the UN High Commissioner for
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