UN Secretariat
The Secretariat is the principal administrative organ of the UN under Article 7 of the Charter.
- Formation: 1945. Headquarters: New York City. Session: Held in July each year.
- Head: The Secretary-General, who is the Chief Administrative Officer, appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council (Article 97).
- Term: 5 years.
- Eligibility: A P5 (permanent member) national cannot serve as Secretary-General.
- Staff: About 40,000 staff members worldwide.
- Role: Acts as the de facto spokesperson of the UN.
- Functions and Powers: Organizes international conferences; informs world media about UN work; helps prevent conflict and promote peaceful settlement of disputes; interprets speeches and translates documents into official languages; administers programs/policies laid down by UN bodies; presents the UN's annual budget.
- Article 99: The Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which, in his opinion, may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security.
- Legal Basis: Defined under Chapter 15 (Articles 97-101) of the UN Charter.
- Member obligation: All UN member states must abide by the policies and programs of the United Nations.