Former Secretaries-General

Under the Charter, the Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

Mr. Guterres' predecessors as Secretary-General were: Ban Ki-moon (Republic of Korea) who served from January 2007 to December 2016; Kofi Annan (Ghana) who held office from January 1997 to December 2006; Boutros Boutros-Ghali (Egypt), who held office from January 1992 to December 1996; Javier Pèrez de Cuèllar (Peru), who served from January 1982 to December 1991; Kurt Waldheim (Austria), who held office from January 1972 to December 1981; U Thant (Burma, now Myanmar), who served from November 1961, when he was appointed acting Secretary-General (he was formally appointed Secretary-General in November 1962) to December 1971; Dag Hammarskjöld (Sweden), who served from April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in Africa in September 1961; and Trygve Lie (Norway), who held office from February 1946 to his resignation in November 1952.

portrait of former Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

Ban Ki-moon (Republic of Korea)

Term of Office: 2007-2016

portrait of former Secretary-General Kofi Annan

Kofi Annan (Ghana)

Term of Office: 1997-2006

portrait of former Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali

Boutros Boutros-Ghali (Egypt)

Term of Office: 1992-1996

 

portrait of former Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar

Javier Perez de Cuellar (Peru)

Term of Office: 1982-1991

portrait of former Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim

Kurt Waldheim (Austria)

Term of Office: 1972-1981

portrait of former Secretary-General U Thant

U Thant (Myanmar)

Term of Office: 1961-1971

 

portrait of former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld

Dag Hammarskjöld (Sweden)

Term of Office: 1953-1961

Commemoration

portrait of former Secretary-General Trygve Lie

Trygve Lie (Norway)

Term of Office: 1946-1952