António Guterres
António Guterres
António Guterres (born 30 April 1949) is a Portuguese politician and diplomat who has been serving as the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations since 1 January 2017. He is the first former head of government and the first Portuguese national to hold the post.
Early life and education
Guterres was born in Lisbon, Portugal, on 30 April 1949. He studied physics and engineering at the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon, graduating in 1971. He then worked as an assistant professor at the University of Lisbon.
Political career
Guterres entered politics in 1974, after the Carnation Revolution. He was elected to the Portuguese Parliament, where he served from 1976 to 1985. He was Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002. During his time as Prime Minister, he implemented a number of economic and social reforms, including the introduction of a universal basic income.
United Nations career
Guterres was appointed United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2005. He served in this role until 2015. During his tenure, he oversaw the agency's response to a number of major humanitarian crises, including the Syrian Civil War and the Rohingya refugee crisis.
Secretary-General of the United Nations
Guterres was elected Secretary-General of the United Nations by the United Nations General Assembly on 13 October 2016. He took office on 1 January 2017.
As Secretary-General, Guterres has made a number of key priorities, including:
- Promoting peace and security around the world
- Addressing the climate crisis
- Advancing sustainable development
- Protecting human rights
- Reforming the United Nations
Guterres has been praised for his leadership on these issues. In 2018, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to "revitalize diplomacy and multilateralism."
Personal life
Guterres is married to Catarina de Almeida Vaz Pinto. They have two children, a son and a daughter.
