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UN Security Council formally nominates Guterres to be next chief UN Security Council formally nominates Guterres to be next chief
(35 minutes later)
The UN Security Council has unanimously nominated former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres to be the next secretary general.The UN Security Council has unanimously nominated former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres to be the next secretary general.
The UN General Assembly is expected to meet next week to approve his appointment. The UN General Assembly is expected to meet next week to approve his five-year appointment.
Mr Guterres, 67, who led the UN refugee agency for 10 years, will take over from Ban Ki-moon early next year.Mr Guterres, 67, who led the UN refugee agency for 10 years, will take over from Ban Ki-moon early next year.
Mr Ban, 72, described Mr Guterres as a superb choice to succeed him in the role. He said he felt "gratitude and humility" for being nominated and he pledged to "serve the most vulnerable".
"I know Guterres very well and consider it a super choice," Mr Ban told reporters during a visit to Rome. Mr Ban, 72, described Mr Guterres as a "superb choice" to succeed him in the role.
"His experience as Portuguese prime minister, his wide knowledge of world affairs, and his lively intellect will serve him well in leading the United Nations in a crucial period." "His experience as Portuguese prime minister, his wide knowledge of world affairs, and his lively intellect will serve him well in leading the United Nations in a crucial period," Mr Ban told reporters during a visit to Rome.
Why not a woman UN secretary general? Mr Guterres's nomination was formally agreed by all 15 council members during a closed-door meeting at the UN on Thursday.
Mr Guterres' nomination was formally agreed by all 15 council members during a closed-door meeting at the UN on Thursday. Afterwards, Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Mr Guterres had "great credentials" for the job.
Announcing the impending nomination on Wednesday, Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Mr Guterres had been the "clear favourite". "He is a person who talks to everybody, listens to everybody, speaks his mind, a very outgoing, open person so I think it was a great choice and I'm glad that we rallied around Mr Guterres," he told reporters.
There was some disappointment, however, among campaigners who had hoped for the first female UN secretary general, or a candidate from Eastern Europe. British UN ambassador Matthew Rycroft said Mr Guterres had "a vision and a moral authority and integrity that put him at the top of the league table".
Although Mr Guterres's nomination was widely welcomed, there was disappointment among some campaigners who had hoped for the first female UN secretary general, or a candidate from Eastern Europe.
Mr Guterres entered politics in 1976 in Portugal's first democratic election after five decades of dictatorship.
He became 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 was at the forefront of some of the world's worst refugee crises, including Syria, Afghanistan, Iraq.