UNITED NATIONS: Antonio Guterres, a former Portuguese Prime Minister, was today sworn in as the ninth UN Secretary-General, succeeding Ban Ki-moon as the chief of the 71-year old world body.
President of the UN General Assembly Peter Thomson administered the Oath of Office to Guterres at a special plenary meeting of the 193-member General Assembly here.
Guterres, 67, was unanimously appointed by the General Assembly as the successor to Ban, after the 15-nation Security Council had in October decided by acclamation to send his name to the Assembly for final approval.
The former UN refugee chief takes over from Ban on January 1.
Ban’s second five-year term as the world’s top diplomat ends on December 31. During the special plenary meeting, speakers paid tribute to Ban.
The former Portuguese prime minister and UN High Commissioner for Refugees had remained the front-runner in the election to choose Ban’s successor amid growing calls by civil society and several UN member-states to elect a woman as the Secretary-General. (AGENCIES)
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