Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations

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Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations
Emblem of the United Nations.svg
Amina J. Mohammed in London - 2018 (41824822362) (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
Amina J. Mohammed
since 1 January 2017
United Nations
United Nations Secretariat
Style Her Excellency
Reports toThe Secretary-General
Seat UN Headquarters
New York City (international territory)
AppointerThe Secretary-General
The Secretary-General appoints the Deputy Secretary-General following consultations with Member States and in accordance with Article 101 of the Charter of the United Nations. [1]
Term length See below
The term of office of the Deputy Secretary-General must not exceed that of the Secretary-General. [1]
Constituting instrument General Assembly Resolution 52/12 B [1]
PrecursorDeputy Secretary-General of the League of Nations
Inaugural holder Louise Fréchette
Formation1997
Website Deputy Secretary-General

The deputy secretary-general of the United Nations is the deputy to the secretary-general of the United Nations. The office was created to handle many of the administrative responsibilities of the secretary-general, help manage Secretariat operations, and ensure coherence of activities and programs. [2] [3] The post was formally established by the General Assembly at the end of 1997. [1]

Contents

Amina J. Mohammed of Nigeria was named as deputy secretary-general by then secretary-general-designate António Guterres. Mohammed assumed the office the same day as Guterres began his term, on 1 January 2017.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities generally delegated by the secretary-general to the deputy secretary-general include: [4]

(a) To assist the Secretary-General in managing the operations of the Secretariat;
(b) To act for the Secretary-General at United Nations Headquarters in the absence of the Secretary-General and in other cases as may be decided by the Secretary-General;
(c) To support the Secretary-General in ensuring inter-sectoral and inter-institutional coherence of activities and programs and to support the Secretary-General in elevating the profile and leadership of the United Nations in the economic and social spheres, including further efforts to strengthen the United Nations as a leading centre for development policy and development assistance;
(d) To represent the Secretary-General at conferences, official functions and ceremonial and other occasions as may be decided by the Secretary-General;
(e) To undertake such assignments as may be determined by the Secretary-General;

The director in the Office of the Deputy Secretary-General is a sitting observer of the United Nations Development Group. [5]

History

Canadian Louise Fréchette was the first deputy secretary-general of the United Nations, holding the position from 1998 to 2005. She was appointed to the post by Secretary-General Kofi Annan and assumed her duties on 2 March 1998. In 2005, partly in response to criticism by former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker for failed management of the Iraq Oil-for-Food Programme, Frechette announced her resignation. She remained at her post until 31 March 2006. [4]

On 3 March 2006 it was announced that Mark Malloch Brown from the United Kingdom would succeed Louise Fréchette as deputy secretary-general on 1 April 2006. Brown left his post concurrent with Kofi Annan's departure as secretary-general on 31 December 2006. [4]

List of deputy secretaries-general

No.PortraitDeputy Secretary-GeneralCountryTerm Secretary-General
1 Louise Frechette (cropped).JPG Louise Fréchette Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada 2 March 1998 – 1 April 2006 Flag of Ghana.svg Kofi Annan
2 Mark Malloch Brown 080701-F-1644L-048.jpg Mark Malloch Brown Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom 1 April 2006 – 31 December 2006
3 Asha-Rose Migiro (7098939303) (cropped).jpg Asha-Rose Migiro Flag of Tanzania.svg  Tanzania 5 February 2007 – 1 July 2012 Flag of South Korea.svg Ban Ki-moon
4 Jan Eliasson at Tallberg Forum 2009 cropped.jpg Jan Eliasson Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden 1 July 2012 – 31 December 2016
5 Amina J. Mohammed in London - 2018 (41824822362) (cropped).jpg Amina J. Mohammed [6] Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria 1 January 2017 – present Flag of Portugal.svg António Guterres
Countries that have had a national serve as deputy secretary-general of the United Nations. Deputy UNSG countries.PNG
Countries that have had a national serve as deputy secretary-general of the United Nations.
UN Regional Group Deputy Secretaries-General
Western European and Others3
Eastern European Group0
Latin American and Caribbean Group0
Asia-Pacific Group0
African Group2

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References

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