The United Nations General Assembly has appointed by acclamation Mr. Antonio Guterres, former Prime Minister of Portugal, as the new Secretary-General of the 193-member body. Mr. Guterres, who will assume his duties on 1 January 2017 for a five-year term, is the fourth Secretary-General from Europe.
Mr. Guterres brings a decade of UN service as the former High Commissioner for Refugees, where he served until 2015. Speaking before the General Assembly, outgoing Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon praised Guterres for his ``effective advocacy’’ during his time at UNHCR. The Secretary-General offered his congratulations said that Mr. Guterres was ``a wonderful choice to steer this Organization.’’
Mr. Gueterres, aged 67, served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002.
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