Former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Guterres has emerged as the favoured candidate for UN secretary general in a straw poll by the UN Security Council that is unlikely to be vetoed, says Vitaly Churkin, Russian ambassador to the UN.
"Today, after our sixth straw poll, we have a clear favorite and his name is Antonio Guterres," Churkin says.
The council will take a formal vote on Thursday and will then send its recommendation to the UN General Assembly, which will also take a vote to essentially rubber-stamp the council's decision.
"An agreement has been reached. UN Security Council members to elect me as new UN Secretary General. I'm honored and happy," Guterres said in a post on Twitter.
Guterres is expected to replace Ban Ki-moon, who has served as Secretary General since 2007.
