United Nations Secretary-General

The United Nations Secretary-General is the head of the Secretariat, one of the principal divisions of the United Nations. According to the United Nations Charter, the Secretary-General is to be appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council. It is widely considered the most influential role in the United Nations.

Role

The Secretary-General is described by the Charter as the "chief administrative officer" of the organization. Originally some felt that the role of the Secretary-General should be purely administrative. It was Trygve Lie, the first Secretary-General, who asserted that it was his role to speak out and act as leader and mediator. Every Secretary-General since has spoken out on global issues and used his good offices to mediate disputes. This is in keeping with the original vision of US president Franklin D. Roosevelt, who held office just before the creation of the UN and who has much influence on its shaping, that the organization should be headed by a "world moderator."

Related Topics:
Trygve Lie - Mediator - US - President - Franklin D. Roosevelt - UN

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~