- This article is about the United Nations Secretary General. For information about the Secretaries General who organise and run Model United Nations Conferences, see Secretary-General.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations is the figurehead of the organisation. Elected by the General Assembly, the Secretary-General is responsible for the administration of the United Nations in all of its forms, and is a spokesperson for the body. Once elected, a Secretary-General serves a term of five years, and can be re-elected as many times as they wish.
Coincidently, Secretaries-General of the past have usually been from a continent different to their predecessor, and have been from countries with little or no political importance, as to elect someone from a powerful nation might give too much importance to that state. Apart from the first Secretary-General, who was in the position only as a temporary measure whilst the UN was gathering momentum, members of the Permanent 5 are not permitted to be Secretaries-General.
The Secretary-General is supported in his or her roles by various Under-Secretaries and a Deputy Secretary General.