October 14, 2006 - 14:00 AMT
Ban Ki-moon New UN Secretary-General
The UN General Assembly at the recommendation of the Security Council and without a vote appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Republic of Korea Ban Ki-moon as UN Secretary-General from January 2007 till December 2011. At the plenary session Security Council Chair, Japanese Permanent Representative to the UN Kenzo Oshima read the Council's recommendation. Then Haya Rashed al-Khalifa on behalf of the coordinators of regional groups presented the draft resolution on appointment of the new Secretary-General. No one proposed voting for it and Ban Ki-moon was announced new UN Secretary-General by acclamation.

Chair of the General Assembly, incumbent Secretary-General Kofi Annan addressed a welcome speech, as well as the US representative and chairs of five regional groups. Bosnian Permanent Representative to the UN congratulated on behalf of the group of states of the Eastern Europe. Ban Ki-moon will be sworn in December. According to the UN Charter, the Secretary-General is the main administrative official of the Organization. Kofi Annan's tenure will expire December 31, reports the UN Press Office.