Secretariat

The UN's administrative organ

Main organs

The Secretariat carries out the day-to-day work of the UN. It is headed by the Secretary-General, the UN's chief administrative officer, who is appointed for five years.

The Secretary-General

Appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council, usually for two five-year terms.
Chief administrative officer of the organization (Article 97).
May bring to the Security Council's attention any matter that may threaten international peace and security (Article 99).
Uses 'good offices' to mediate disputes, and represents the UN worldwide.

Secretaries-General

Trygve Lie (Norway), 1946–1952
Dag Hammarskjöld (Sweden), 1953–1961, who died in a plane crash in Africa and received the Nobel Peace Prize posthumously
U Thant (Burma), 1961–1971
Kurt Waldheim (Austria), 1972–1981
Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (Peru), 1982–1991
Boutros Boutros-Ghali (Egypt), 1992–1996
Kofi Annan (Ghana), 1997–2006
Ban Ki-moon (South Korea), 2007–2016
António Guterres (Portugal), 2017–present (term ending 2026)

Staff and offices

Tens of thousands of international civil servants work at headquarters in New York and at offices in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi and in field missions. Under Article 100 they must not seek or receive instructions from any government, owing loyalty only to the UN.

Criticism and reform

The selection of the Secretary-General has been criticized as secretive and dominated by the five permanent members of the Security Council; since 2016 candidates have presented their visions in public dialogues.
No woman has yet held the office, and there have been strong calls for the first woman Secretary-General in the 2026 selection.
The Secretariat has been criticized for bureaucracy, slow decision-making and funding shortfalls, leading to repeated management reforms.

The Secretary-General

Appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council, usually for two five-year terms.

Chief administrative officer of the organization (Article 97).

May bring to the Security Council's attention any matter that may threaten international peace and security (Article 99).

Uses 'good offices' to mediate disputes, and represents the UN worldwide.

Secretaries-General

Trygve Lie (Norway), 1946–1952

Dag Hammarskjöld (Sweden), 1953–1961, who died in a plane crash in Africa and received the Nobel Peace Prize posthumously

U Thant (Burma), 1961–1971

Kurt Waldheim (Austria), 1972–1981

Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (Peru), 1982–1991

Boutros Boutros-Ghali (Egypt), 1992–1996

Kofi Annan (Ghana), 1997–2006

Ban Ki-moon (South Korea), 2007–2016

António Guterres (Portugal), 2017–present (term ending 2026)

Criticism and reform

The selection of the Secretary-General has been criticized as secretive and dominated by the five permanent members of the Security Council; since 2016 candidates have presented their visions in public dialogues.

No woman has yet held the office, and there have been strong calls for the first woman Secretary-General in the 2026 selection.

The Secretariat has been criticized for bureaucracy, slow decision-making and funding shortfalls, leading to repeated management reforms.