This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-37566898
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Portugal's Antonio Guterres set to be UN secretary general | Portugal's Antonio Guterres set to be UN secretary general |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Portugal's former Prime Minister Antonio Guterres is poised to become the next UN secretary general, UN diplomats say. | Portugal's former Prime Minister Antonio Guterres is poised to become the next UN secretary general, UN diplomats say. |
| Mr Guterres, 66, was the "clear favourite", Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin announced on Wednesday. | Mr Guterres, 66, was the "clear favourite", Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin announced on Wednesday. |
| A formal vote will take place in the UN Security Council on Thursday to confirm the choice of nominee. | A formal vote will take place in the UN Security Council on Thursday to confirm the choice of nominee. |
| Mr Guterres, who led the UN refugee agency for 10 years, will take over from Ban Ki-moon early next year. | Mr Guterres, who led the UN refugee agency for 10 years, will take over from Ban Ki-moon early next year. |
| The process was "remarkably" uncontroversial, said Samantha Power, the US representative to the UN. | The process was "remarkably" uncontroversial, said Samantha Power, the US representative to the UN. |
| "In the end, there was just a candidate whose experience, vision, and versatility across a range of areas proved compelling," she said, adding that the process involved more scrutiny than ever before. | "In the end, there was just a candidate whose experience, vision, and versatility across a range of areas proved compelling," she said, adding that the process involved more scrutiny than ever before. |
| "People united around a person who impressed throughout the process." | "People united around a person who impressed throughout the process." |
| UN secretary general: The hardest job in the world? | |
| Who is he? | Who is he? |
| An engineer by trade, Mr Guterres first entered into politics in 1976 in Portugal's first democratic election after the "Carnation revolution" that ended five decades of dictatorship. | An engineer by trade, Mr Guterres first entered into politics in 1976 in Portugal's first democratic election after the "Carnation revolution" that ended five decades of dictatorship. |
| He quickly rose in the ranks, becoming leader of the Socialist party in 1992 and was elected prime minister in 1995. | He quickly rose in the ranks, becoming leader of the Socialist party in 1992 and was elected prime minister in 1995. |
| As head of the UNHCR refugee agency from 2005 to 2015, Mr Guterres led the agency through some of the world's worst refugee crises, including Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq. | As head of the UNHCR refugee agency from 2005 to 2015, Mr Guterres led the agency through some of the world's worst refugee crises, including Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq. |
| During that time, he repeatedly appealed to Western states to do more to help refugees fleeing the conflicts. | During that time, he repeatedly appealed to Western states to do more to help refugees fleeing the conflicts. |
| Former Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva said earlier this year that Mr Guterres had "left a legacy" at the refugee agency "that means today he is a respected voice and all the world listens to him", according to the AFP news agency. | Former Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva said earlier this year that Mr Guterres had "left a legacy" at the refugee agency "that means today he is a respected voice and all the world listens to him", according to the AFP news agency. |
| The UN's new man at the top | The UN's new man at the top |
| How is he appointed? | How is he appointed? |
| The 15-member Security Council cast secret ballots for each of the 10 candidates on Wednesday and none were found to oppose Mr Guterres. | The 15-member Security Council cast secret ballots for each of the 10 candidates on Wednesday and none were found to oppose Mr Guterres. |
| They were asked to select from a choice of 'encourage', 'discourage' or 'no opinion' for each candidate, with the former Portuguese prime minister receiving 13 'encourage' votes and two 'no opinion' votes. | They were asked to select from a choice of 'encourage', 'discourage' or 'no opinion' for each candidate, with the former Portuguese prime minister receiving 13 'encourage' votes and two 'no opinion' votes. |
| He beat nine other candidates, including EU budget commissioner Kristalina Georgieva from Bulgaria, to become the next UN chief. | He beat nine other candidates, including EU budget commissioner Kristalina Georgieva from Bulgaria, to become the next UN chief. |
| His nomination came despite a concerted effort to appoint the UN's first female secretary general. | His nomination came despite a concerted effort to appoint the UN's first female secretary general. |
| A formal vote will take place at 10:00 EST (15:00 BST) on Thursday to recommend Mr Guterres to the UN General Assembly, which must approve his nomination. | A formal vote will take place at 10:00 EST (15:00 BST) on Thursday to recommend Mr Guterres to the UN General Assembly, which must approve his nomination. |
| In January 2017, Mr Ban will stand down after 10 years at the helm. | In January 2017, Mr Ban will stand down after 10 years at the helm. |
| What does a UN secretary general do? | What does a UN secretary general do? |
| The Security Council - with five of its members wielding vetos - is the most powerful body in the UN. | The Security Council - with five of its members wielding vetos - is the most powerful body in the UN. |
| While not as powerful, the secretary general serves as the organisation's top diplomat and chief "administrative officer". | While not as powerful, the secretary general serves as the organisation's top diplomat and chief "administrative officer". |
| It has been described as the most impossible job in the world, says the BBC's diplomatic correspondent James Landale. | It has been described as the most impossible job in the world, says the BBC's diplomatic correspondent James Landale. |
| The secretary general of the United Nations has to run an unwieldy bureaucracy and manage the competing demands of the world's big powers, he adds. | The secretary general of the United Nations has to run an unwieldy bureaucracy and manage the competing demands of the world's big powers, he adds. |
| A key requisite of the role is to step in both publicly and privately to prevent international disputes from escalating. | A key requisite of the role is to step in both publicly and privately to prevent international disputes from escalating. |
| The post lasts for five years but is limited to a maximum of two terms. | The post lasts for five years but is limited to a maximum of two terms. |