United Nations Secretaries-General

United Nations Secretaries-General are the chief administrative officers of the United Nations (UN), responsible for the organization's day-to-day operations. The Secretary-General is appointed by the United Nations General Assembly on the recommendation of the United Nations Security Council for a five-year term, with the possibility of a second term. The Secretary-General plays a key role in promoting the United Nations Charter and the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, working closely with the International Court of Justice, the World Health Organization, and other Specialized agencies of the United Nations. The Secretary-General also works with the European Union, the African Union, and other regional organizations to promote peace, security, and development, as seen in the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Children's Fund.

Introduction

The office of the Secretary-General was established in 1945, with the signing of the United Nations Charter in San Francisco, California, by representatives of China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The first Secretary-General, Trygve Halvdan Lie, was appointed in 1946 and played a key role in shaping the organization, working closely with the United Nations Security Council and the United Nations General Assembly. The Secretary-General is supported by the United Nations Secretariat, which is headquartered at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, and has offices in Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna, and other locations around the world, including the United Nations Office at Geneva and the United Nations Office at Vienna. The Secretary-General also works with the International Labour Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and other specialized agencies to promote economic and social development, as seen in the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals.

List of Secretaries-General

The following is a list of the Secretaries-General of the United Nations: Trygve Halvdan Lie (1946-1952), Dag Hammarskjöld (1953-1961), U Thant (1961-1971), Kurt Waldheim (1972-1981), Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (1982-1991), Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1992-1996), Kofi Annan (1997-2006), Ban Ki-moon (2007-2016), and António Guterres (2017-present). Each of these Secretaries-General has played a significant role in shaping the organization and promoting its principles, working with the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations General Assembly, and other bodies, such as the United Nations Economic and Social Council and the United Nations Human Rights Council. The Secretaries-General have also worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and other humanitarian organizations to promote peace, security, and human rights, as seen in the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Selection Process

The selection process for the Secretary-General is governed by Article 97 of the United Nations Charter, which states that the Secretary-General shall be appointed by the United Nations General Assembly on the recommendation of the United Nations Security Council. The process typically involves a series of informal consultations and negotiations among the members of the United Nations Security Council, as well as with other member states, including the Group of 77, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the European Union. The United Nations Security Council then makes a recommendation to the United Nations General Assembly, which appoints the Secretary-General by a simple majority vote, as seen in the appointments of Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon. The Secretary-General works closely with the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and other international financial institutions to promote economic development and stability, as seen in the Washington Consensus and the Doha Development Round.

Role and Responsibilities

The Secretary-General is responsible for the overall direction and administration of the United Nations, including the United Nations Secretariat and the various programs and agencies of the organization, such as the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund, and the World Food Programme. The Secretary-General also plays a key role in promoting the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and in mediating conflicts and promoting peace and security, as seen in the Camp David Accords and the Oslo Accords. The Secretary-General works closely with the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations General Assembly, and other bodies, such as the United Nations Economic and Social Council and the United Nations Human Rights Council, to promote economic and social development, as seen in the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. The Secretary-General also works with the International Labour Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, and other specialized agencies to promote economic and social development, as seen in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Notable Secretaries-General

Several Secretaries-General have played a particularly significant role in shaping the organization and promoting its principles, including Dag Hammarskjöld, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1961 for his efforts to promote peace and security, and Kofi Annan, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 for his efforts to promote peace and security, as well as his work on the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable Development Goals. Other notable Secretaries-General include Trygve Halvdan Lie, who played a key role in establishing the organization, and U Thant, who played a key role in promoting the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, working closely with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The Secretaries-General have also worked with the European Union, the African Union, and other regional organizations to promote peace, security, and development, as seen in the Lomé Convention and the Cotonou Agreement. The Secretaries-General have also played a key role in promoting the principles of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, working closely with the International Court of Justice, the World Health Organization, and other specialized agencies, as seen in the Geneva Conventions and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.