Guterres re-elected to second term as UN Secretary-General

United Nations, Jun 18 (EFE).- Antonio Guterres was re-elected to a second term as the United Nations Secretary-General on Friday.

“I am deeply honored and grateful for the trust placed in me to serve as the Secretary-General of the United Nations for a second term. Serving the UN is an immense privilege and a most noble duty,” Guterres said on Twitter.

Guterres’ second term – which will last five years – will start on January 1, 2022 and end on December 31, 2026.

Guterres was first elected Secretary-General of the 193-member world organization in 2017.

In his first five years, he navigated multiple world crises including wars in Syria and Yemen, and tackled entrenched issues such as North Korea and new ones such as the coronavirus pandemic.

The 72-year-old’s first term also coincided with Donald Trump’s mandate as president of the United States.

The UN Security Council expressed its unconditional support for Guterres, according to current Council President Sven Jurgenson.

”I think he has been an excellent Secretary General. He’s a bridge builder, his views on the conflict zones in the world and he’s able to speak to everybody. And I think this is something that is expected from the Secretary General and he has proven worthy of the post already with the five years that he has been in office,” Jurgenson said.

Guterres was the only official candidate for the position.

In his vision statement, the Secretary-General said the priorities for the next five years include recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, protecting the environment and climate change, securing peace and security and ensuring the centrality of human rights, among others. EFE

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