UN has a new chief. Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres sworn in as the United Nations’ ninth Secretary General. He replaces outgoing Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on January 1, 2017.
Guterres, the former UN refugee chief was sworn in as UN chief on Monday 12th December 2016, in New York. Present was Peter Thomson, the President of the UN General Assembly.
On his speech, Guterres noted that fear as driving the decisions for many people around the world adding the only way to reverse that and re-establish confidence in human and international relations is by telling the truth.
Guterres added that the time has come for citizens and world leaders to reconstruct their relations, for leaders to start listening to their people, and for the UN to own up to its shortcomings and fix them.
“The organization is the cornerstone of multilateralism, and has contributed to decades of relative peace. But the challenges are now surpassing our ability to respond; the UN must be ready to change," he added.
