United Nations Issues: Appointing the U.N. Secretary-General

United Nations Issues: Appointing the U.N. Secretary-General

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Updated October 13, 2016
United Nations Issues: Appointing the U.N. Secretary-General
The second five-year term of United Nations (U.N.)
for consideration. The Council’s deliberations generally
Secretary-General (SG) Ban Ki-moon ends on December
occur in private meetings, with decisions taken by secret
31, 2016. For the past several months, the U.N. Security
ballot by an affirmative vote from at least seven Council
Council and General Assembly have considered candidates
members, including the five permanent members (P-5).
to serve as the ninth SG. On October 6, the Council
When a decision is made, the Council adopts a resolution
recommended António Guterres of Portugal, and the
recommending a candidate; generally, the resolution is
Assembly appointed him on October 13. Guterres served as
considered during a private Council meeting.
the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002 and as
the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees from 2005 to
In years when there have been multiple candidates, the
2015. His term will begin on January 1, 2017.
Council has developed the practice of conducting informal
straw polls to indicate member states’ initial level of
The United States maintains a significant interest in the SG
support for individuals. (In the current process, Guterres
appointment process, with the hope that the perspectives
won all six straw polls held by the Council.) In years when
and policies of the new SG align with U.S. foreign policy
there has been one candidate (for example, when an SG is
and national security priorities. As one of five permanent
being considered for a second term), the Council generally
members of the Council with veto power, it has
adopts a resolution without prior polling, usually by
considerable influence in the selection of the SG.
acclamation. Following the adoption of the Council’s
resolution, the Council President writes a letter informing
Role of the Secretary-General
the Assembly President of its recommendation.
The duties of the SG are both administrative and political.
Article 97 of the U.N. Charter describes the SG as the
General Assembly. With few exceptions, the Assembly’s
“chief administrative officer” of the United Nations and
role in the selection of the SG has been limited to adopting
head of the U.N. Secretariat. His or her administrative
a resolution appointing the Security Council’s
responsibilities include recruiting and hiring staff,
recommended candidate. To date, the Assembly has not
coordinating with U.N. entities, preparing the
challenged the Council’s recommendation. Resolution 11(I)
organization’s budget, and reporting to the General
provides that the Assembly may adopt the Council’s
Assembly. The political functions of the office often fall
recommendation by secret ballot by a simple majority vote.
under Article 99 of the Charter, which authorizes the SG to
In practice, the Assembly has held a public meeting to
“bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter
appoint the SG by acclamation.
which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of
international peace and security.” In addition, Article 98
Term length. Assembly resolution 11(I) specifies that the
states that the SG shall perform “such other functions as are
SG shall serve a five-year term, with the possibility of
entrusted” to him or her by the Council, Assembly, and
reappointment for a second term. It also states that the
other U.N. bodies. In practice, these guidelines have
Council and Assembly are free to modify the term length of
provided the SG with opportunities to use his influence and
future SGs. The term start and end dates (usually January 1
“good offices”—which draw on the perceived
to December 31) are typically included in the Council
independence, moral authority, and impartiality of the
resolution recommending appointment. With the exception
position—to bring attention, publicly or privately, to
of Boutros Boutros-Ghali, whose second term was vetoed
conditions or events that might threaten global peace and
by the United States, every SG has been reappointed for a
security. Over the years, SGs have defined and adapted
second term. The length of terms has varied depending on
their role to address challenges faced during their tenure.
circumstances and events (see Table 1).
Appointment Process
Timing. The timeline of the SG selection is not specified in
Pursuant to Article 97 of the U.N. Charter, the SG “shall be
the U.N. Charter or Assembly resolution 11(I); instead, the
appointed by the General Assembly upon the
process is based on custom and practice and has varied
recommendation of the Security Council.” Additional
depending on the circumstances of the appointment. In
processes and procedures were adopted by the General
general, when the current SG’s term is scheduled to end on
Assembly in 1946 (resolution 11(I)) and in subsequent
December 31, the Security Council has recommended
resolutions and documents. Many procedures have also
appointment of a new SG between October and December
been implemented through precedent and practice.
of that year. The Council has recommended reappointment
of a current SG between June and December.
Security Council. The 15-member Security Council is the
primary U.N. body responsible for selecting the SG.
Increasingly, the Council has recognized the benefits of
According to Assembly resolution 11(I), it is desirable for
providing a new SG with sufficient transition time. The
the Council to recommend one candidate to the Assembly
appointment of Ban Ki-Moon in October 2006, nearly three
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United Nations Issues: Appointing the U.N. Secretary-General
months prior to the beginning of his term in early January,
 decided to conduct informal dialogues with
represented a key change in previous Council practice.
candidates;
 stressed the importance of certain qualifications,
Geographic distribution. The U.N. Charter does not
including leadership and managerial abilities,
specify that the selection of the SG be based on geographic
extensive experience in international relations, and
distribution; however, various resolutions adopted by the
strong diplomatic and multilingual skills; and
Assembly over the years have expressed support for
regional rotation or geographic balance when considering
 called for equal and fair distribution based on
candidates. There does not appear to be a clear or consistent
gender and geographical balance.
practice in this regard: SGs have been from Western Europe
(six terms); Africa (three terms); Asia (four terms); and
Other reform proposals. Some member states and U.N.
Latin America (two terms). There has not yet been a SG
observers contend that while recent changes to the selection
from Eastern Europe, and some countries have suggested
process are an improvement, additional measures are
that the next SG should be from that region.
needed to enhance transparency and inclusivity. Some have
proposed opening Council meetings about SG selection to
Gender. Some observers and policymakers suggested that
all member states and the public. Others maintain the
the next SG should be a woman. In March 2016, for
Council should provide two or more candidates to the
example, a group of U.S. Senators wrote to Secretary of
Assembly, with the final candidate elected by all countries.
State John Kerry urging the Administration to support a
The P-5, with its disproportionate influence on the selection
woman to serve as SG. In August, Ban stated that it was
process, has generally resisted these proposals.
“high time” the United Nations had a female leader.
U.S. Policy
Table 1. U.N. Secretaries-General: 1946–Present
As the largest financial contributor to the United Nations
and a permanent member of the Security Council, the

Country
Term
United States has both a substantial interest and role in the
Ban Ki-moon
S. Korea
Jan. 2007–present
appointment of a new SG. Historically, U.S. policymakers,
including many Members of Congress, have preferred an
Kofi A. Annan
Ghana
Jan. 1997–Dec. 2006
SG who is responsive to U.S. concerns and priorities and
Boutros Boutrous-Ghali Egypt
Jan. 1992–Dec. 1996
does not overstep the responsibilities of the office or take
overly political or proactive positions.
Javier Perez de Cuellar
Peru
Jan. 1982–Dec. 1991
Congressional role and considerations. Congress’s role in
Kurt Waldheim
Austria
Jan. 1972–Dec. 1981
appointing the next SG is limited. The U.N. Participation
U Thant
Burma
Nov. 1961–Dec. 1971
Act of 1945 (22 U.S.C. 287 et seq.) provides that the
executive branch is responsible for representing the United
Dag Hammarskjöld
Sweden
Apr. 1953–Sept. 1961
States in U.N. fora. Nevertheless, over the years some in
Trygve Lie
Norway
Feb. 1946–Nov. 1952
Congress have sought to influence the process by
supporting or opposing candidates based on their record or
Source: U.N. Office of the Secretary-General.
other considerations. Perhaps most notably, some Members
Notes: Lie resigned in 1952. Hammarskjöld served until his death in
opposed the reappointment of then-SG Boutros Boutros-
a plane crash in September 1961. His successor, Thant, was
Ghali in 1996 due to his perceived inability to achieve U.N.
appointed acting SG and was formally appointed in November 1962.
reform. (The United States vetoed his reappointment.)
Reform of the Appointment Process
Administration actions. Obama Administration officials
Over the years, some governments and U.N. observers have
have emphasized the importance of the SG’s appointment
expressed concern that the aforementioned procedures lack
process. In July 2016, U.S. Permanent Representative to the
transparency and inclusivity, making it difficult for the
United Nations Samantha Power stated that there “could not
broader U.N. membership to engage in the SG selection
be a more important job,” and that the ideal candidate
process. They maintain that the P-5 (with veto power) have
would have great leadership and management skills and be
a disproportionate role in selecting the SG and might
committed to fairness and accountability. The
prioritize their own interests rather than those of the broader
Administration supported the adoption of Assembly
membership. Others maintain that the appointment process,
resolution 69/321; however, it also emphasized that the
which is generally based on custom and practice, is at times
U.N. Charter provides a “straightforward and clear process”
unstructured and unpredictable—making it difficult for
that should be respected. On October 13, Ambassador
members to ascertain the selection timeframe, the identities
Power called Guterres “uniquely qualified” to serve as SG.
of the candidates, and the selection criteria.
New Procedures (2015 and 2016). In an effort to address
Luisa Blanchfield, Specialist in International Relations
some of these concerns, the Assembly adopted resolution
IF10454
69/321 in September 2015, which
 requested that the presidents of the Assembly and
Council keep members informed of the selection
process and regularly circulate a candidate list;
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United Nations Issues: Appointing the U.N. Secretary-General

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