Guterres confirmed he would seek a second term as UN Secretary-General

United Nations / global governance

Direct answer: António Guterres confirmed that he was available to serve a second five-year term as United Nations Secretary-General, beginning in January 2022 if approved by Member States.

Key facts

• UN News reported the announcement on 11 January 2021.
• The appointment process is made by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council under the UN Charter.
• The formal selection process continued with communication between the Presidents of the General Assembly and the Security Council.

Why it matters for BRICS+

Continuity at the UN Secretariat matters for development finance, trade resilience, climate cooperation, health security and multilateral engagement across BRICS+ countries.

For business communities and chambers, stable multilateral leadership can influence the policy environment around sustainable development, infrastructure and cross-border cooperation.

What to watch next

The next institutional step was the Security Council recommendation and the General Assembly decision on the appointment.

Photo: UN Photo/Mark Garten. Source: UN News.