Antonio Guterres, a former Portuguese Prime Minister will be sworn in today as the next UN Secretary General, succeeding Ban Ki-moon as the ninth chief of the organisation.

President of the UN General Assembly Peter Thomson will administer the Oath of Office to Guterres, 67, at a special plenary meeting of the 193-member General Assembly. The Secretary-General-designate will then address the General Assembly.

Guterres was unanimously appointed by the General Assembly as the successor to Ban, after the 15-nation Security
Council had in October decided by acclamation to send his name
to the Assembly for final approval.

Mr. Guterres will assume his new role fora five-year tenure beginning January 1, 2017.