Legal Definitions - Secretary General

The Secretary General is the highest-ranking official of the United Nations. They are responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the organization and representing the UN on the global stage.

The Secretary General is nominated by the Security Council and elected by the General Assembly. They serve a term of five years and can be re-elected for a second term.

Examples of Secretary Generals include:

• Kofi Annan (1997-2006)
• Ban Ki-moon (2007-2016)
• António Guterres (2017-present)

These individuals were chosen by the Security Council and elected by the General Assembly to serve as the chief administrative officer of the United Nations. They were responsible for overseeing the work of the UN and representing the organization to the world.