Helen Clark congratulates Portugal's Guterres, next UN Secretary-General
Results of sixth and final straw poll come in.
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Hawke’s Bay
Former Portugese prime minister Antonio Guterres will be the next UN Secretary-General after again topping the Security Council’s sixth and final straw poll.
Helen Clark, who rose to fifth of the 10 candidates in the informal vote, congratulated him in a tweet, saying he was the “clear winner.”
Mr Guterres, 67, received 13 "encourage" votes and two "no opinions" from the council’s 15 members.
His name will be forwarded to the full 193-member General Assembly tomorrow for appointment “by acclamation,” council president and Russia’s UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin announced.
This will require a further meeting of the council for a formal resolution that needs at least nine votes in favour and no vetoes to pass.
Ms Clark received six "encourage" votes, eight "discourages" and one "no opinion." These included vetoes from three of the council's five permanent members.
In a statement, Ms Clark congratulated Mr Guterres, describing him as a long-time colleague. He is also a former UN High Commissioner for Refugees from 2005-10.
"Antonio and I met when we were both prime ministers, and have worked together as heads of major UN agencies in recent years. Antonio has the knowledge and experience to lead the United Nations well, and I wish him every success."
The statement also thanked everyone who supported her campaign and said she deeply appreciated the backing from Prime Minister John Key, the government and the public.
Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon will step down at the end of the year after serving two five-year terms.
Ms Clark also leaves her position as head of the UN's Development Programme next year.
Nevil Gibson
Thu, 06 Oct 2016
Thu, 06 Oct 2016
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