Appointment of the United Nations Secretary-General

The Secretary-General is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations. Under Article 97 of the UN Charter, the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

Two-stage appointment process

The process divides authority between the two principal political organs of the UN. The Security Council selects and recommends a candidate, after which the General Assembly formally appoints that candidate.

• The General Assembly cannot appoint a person who has not been recommended by the Security Council.
• In established practice, the Security Council recommends one candidate rather than presenting multiple candidates to the General Assembly.

Security Council voting and the veto

The recommendation is decided as a substantive matter under Article 27(3). It requires at least nine affirmative votes and no negative vote from any of the five permanent members.

• A permanent member can therefore block a candidate through the veto.
• The arrangement gives the permanent members decisive influence while preserving the General Assembly's formal appointing role.

Term and reappointment

The Charter does not prescribe the length of the term. General Assembly Resolution 11(I) of 1946 established a five-year term and eligibility for reappointment, which became the basis of subsequent practice.