ILO warmly welcomes next United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres
ILO Director-General congratulates António Guterres on his appointment as UN Secretary-General.
GENEVA (ILO News) – The ILO warmly congratulates the next UN Secretary-General, António Guterres. Mr Guterres will succeed Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who leaves office at the end of this year.
“I congratulate António Guterres and offer him all our support. I look forward to working with him in this new capacity. An experienced statesman, multilateralist, a passionate advocate for the world’s most vulnerable people, and a man of action and principle, he brings qualities and experience that will serve the United Nations well in turbulent and challenging times. Equally his lifelong commitment to the cause of social justice, which stands at the heart of the ILO’s mandate, will be an enormous asset and encouragement for our Organization,” ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said.
The ILO looks forward in particular to working with Mr Guterres towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly goal 8 to promote “inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all” by 2030.
Mr Guterres has more than 30 years in government and public service, including as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002. In 2005, he was elected as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees by the United Nations General Assembly, serving for a decade until 2015.
Under his leadership, the UNHCR underwent a profound structural reform process and built up its capacity to respond to some of the largest human displacement crises since the end of World War II.
“I congratulate António Guterres and offer him all our support. I look forward to working with him in this new capacity. An experienced statesman, multilateralist, a passionate advocate for the world’s most vulnerable people, and a man of action and principle, he brings qualities and experience that will serve the United Nations well in turbulent and challenging times. Equally his lifelong commitment to the cause of social justice, which stands at the heart of the ILO’s mandate, will be an enormous asset and encouragement for our Organization,” ILO Director-General Guy Ryder said.
The ILO looks forward in particular to working with Mr Guterres towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly goal 8 to promote “inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all” by 2030.
Mr Guterres has more than 30 years in government and public service, including as the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002. In 2005, he was elected as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees by the United Nations General Assembly, serving for a decade until 2015.
Under his leadership, the UNHCR underwent a profound structural reform process and built up its capacity to respond to some of the largest human displacement crises since the end of World War II.