Global General

UN council backs Ban Ki-moon for 2nd term

(Agencies)
Updated: 2011-06-18 00:10

UNITED NATIONS?- The UN Security Council has approved a second five-year term for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a critical last step before the 192-member General Assembly holds the definitive vote next week.

The vote by acclamation came Friday after a one-day delay due to what U.N. diplomats described as procedural and technical hold ups from some countries.

The entire world body is virtually certain to endorse the South Korean diplomat when it considers the matter Tuesday. There are no other candidates.

Although it was widely known that Ban would seek a second term, he didn't officially announce his wish to stay on until last week. Ban pledged to keep leading the world body as a "bridge-builder" at a time of unprecedented global change.