The United Nations announced, the former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres is all set to be the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. Mr. Guterres will replace Ban Ki-moon of South Korea, who will step down at the end of 2016 after serving two terms.

Diplomats said that, it is expected to be formally recommended to the 193-member General Assembly for election by the Security Council.

According to the Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, president of the 15-member council for October, he hoped the council would unanimously recommend Mr. Guterres, who was also the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015.

Mr. Churkin said with his 14 council colleagues standing behind him, that “Today after our sixth straw poll we have a clear favourite and his name is Antonio Guterres.”

The Security Council will adopt a resolution, traditionally behind closed doors, recommending that the General Assembly appoint Mr. Guterres for a five-year term from Jan. 1, 2017. The resolution needs nine votes in favour and no vetoes to pass.

According to the tradition, the job of secretary-general has rotated among regions. Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe have all held the post. East European nations, including Russia, argue that they have never had a secretary-general and it was their turn. There has also never been a woman secretary-general and more than 50 nations and many others campaigned to elect the first female UN Chief.

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Nandini