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I am a cheerleader, I am a promoter, I am a salesman, I am a debt collector, I am a father confessor and there are other aspects I still have to discover.

- UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan describing his job

The current Secretary-General is Kofi Annan. His appointment began on January 1, 1997, and his second term began on January 1, 2002.

The Secretary-General is appointed to a five year term. UN Secretaries-General normally spend two terms in office; however, sometimes, they will serve only one. The position of UN Secretary-General is supposed to rotate by geographic region, but that rule is often broken; since Mr Boutros-Ghali served only one term, a successor that was also from Africa was chosen, Kofi Annan, and after Mr Annan had finished his first term, the member states were so impressed with Annan's performance that he was appointed for a second term despite the fact that the next Secretary-General should have been from Asia. There has not yet been a Secretary-General from North America or Oceania.

Rumours have recently appeared that former U.S. President Bill Clinton has set his sights on becoming Secretary-General [1]. It is generally considered Asia's turn to fill the post. No announcement has been made, but behind the scenes China is already pushing the candidacy of Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, who also seems to have U.S. support. If Clinton does emerge as a candidate, however, China would most likely shift its support.

1 Secretaries-General

1. Sir Gladwyn Jebb ( United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a state in Western Europe, usually known simply as the United Kingdom the UK Britain or less accurately as Great Britain . The UK was formed by a series of Acts of Union which united the formerly, EuropeFor the band of the same name, see Europe (band . Europe is a continent forming the westermost part of the Eurasian supercontinent. Europe is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean, to the south by the Mediterranean Se), acting, 1945Events January January 5 The Soviet Union recognizes the new pro-Soviet government of Poland. January 7 British General Bernard Montgomery holds a press conference in which he claims credit for victory in the Battle of the Bulge. January 12 World War II: to 1946Events January January 4 Theodore Schurch becomes the last person to be executed for offences committed under the Treachery Act of 1940 January 7 Allied recognize Austrian republic with 1937 borders the country is divided into four occupation zones Januar.
2. Trygve LieTrygve Halvdan Lie ( July 16, 1896 December 30, 1968) was a Norwegian politician. From 1946 to 1952 he was the first proper Secretary-General of the United Nations. Lie was born in Oslo, Norway on July 16, 1896. Lie's father, Martin, left the family to wo ( Norway, Europe), February 1946 to his resignation in November 1952.
3. Dag Hammarskjöld ( Sweden, Europe), April 1953 until his death in a plane crash in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), September 1961.
4. U Thant (Burma (now Myanmar), Asia), November 1961 to December 1971.
5. Kurt Waldheim ( Austria, Europe) 1972- 1981
6. Javier Pérez de Cuéllar ( Peru, South America) 1982- 1991
7. Boutros Boutros-Ghali ( Egypt, Africa), January 1992 to the American veto of his second term in December 1996.
8. Kofi Annan ( Ghana, Africa), January 1997 to present.