António Guterres is the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations, since 2017. He is a Portuguese politician and diplomat who served as Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002.
Guterres was born on April 30, 1949 in Lisbon, Portugal. He was educated at the Technical University of Lisbon and the University of Lisbon, where he received a degree in Physics Engineering. After completing his undergraduate studies, Guterres pursued a career in public service.
In 1974, Guterres became a member of the Portuguese Council of State, where he served until 1976. He was then elected to the Portuguese Parliament, where he served until 1995. During his time in the Parliament, Guterres was also a member of the Portuguese Socialist Party, and was elected three times as its General Secretary.
In 1995, Guterres was appointed Prime Minister of Portugal, a position he held until 2002. During his time as Prime Minister, Guterres was widely credited with leading Portugal into a period of economic growth and modernisation. He also worked to reduce unemployment, improve social integration, and combat poverty.
In 2005, Guterres was appointed the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a position he held until 2015. During his tenure as High Commissioner, Guterres was widely credited with leading the organisation's efforts to provide aid to millions of people displaced by conflict and natural disasters.
In 2016, Guterres was elected the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations, succeeding Ban Ki-moon. In this role, Guterres has sought to promote sustainable development, combat climate change, promote human rights and gender equality, and foster peace and security around the world.
Throughout his career, Guterres has received numerous awards and honours, including the Order of Merit of Portugal, the Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry, and the Grand Cross of the Order of Liberty. He has also been recognised with the UNESCO Peace Prize and the Indira Gandhi Prize.
Guterres is married to Catarina Vaz Pinto, and has two children, Mariana and Pedro. He is fluent in Portuguese, English, French, and Spanish.
