The Secretary-General Antonio Guterres refers to the current, ninth occupant of the highest administrative and diplomatic post in the United Nations (UN), a global intergovernmental institution. António Guterres of Portugal, a former Prime Minister (1995–2002) and UN High Commissioner for Refugees (2005–2015), assumed office on 1 January 2017.
The office of the Secretary-General was created with the founding of the UN in 1945 to serve as the organization's "chief administrative officer". The role was established to manage the UN Secretariat and act as a global diplomat and advocate, upholding the values of the UN.
The mechanism of the role is primarily defined in Chapter XV of the UN Charter. Article 97 states the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. The most significant power is granted by Article 99, which allows the Secretary-General to bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter that, in their opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security. The Secretary-General also acts as a mediator, uses their "good offices" to prevent disputes, and oversees peacekeeping missions.
The position connects directly to the UN Security Council and the General Assembly, as the selection process is subject to the veto of any of the five permanent members of the Security Council. Guterres was appointed for a second five-year term, which began on 1 January 2022 and will end on 31 December 2026. The selection process for his successor has recently changed, as the General Assembly adopted resolution 79/327 on 5 September 2025, which consolidated previous improvements to make the selection process more transparent and inclusive, moving away from a closed-door exercise.