António Guterres facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
António Guterres
GCC GCL
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Guterres in 2021
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| 9th Secretary-General of the United Nations | |
| Assumed office 1 January 2017 |
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| Deputy | Amina J. Mohammed |
| Preceded by | Ban Ki-moon |
| Prime Minister of Portugal | |
| In office 28 October 1995 – 6 April 2002 |
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| President | |
| Preceded by | Aníbal Cavaco Silva |
| Succeeded by | José Manuel Barroso |
| United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees | |
| In office 15 June 2005 – 31 December 2015 |
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| Secretary-General |
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| Preceded by | Ruud Lubbers |
| Succeeded by | Filippo Grandi |
| President of the Socialist International | |
| In office 10 November 1999 – 15 June 2005 |
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| Secretary-General | Luis Ayala |
| Preceded by | Pierre Mauroy |
| Succeeded by | George Papandreou |
| Secretary-General of the Socialist Party | |
| In office 23 February 1992 – 21 January 2002 |
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| President | António de Almeida Santos |
| Preceded by | Jorge Sampaio |
| Succeeded by | Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 23 February 1992 – 28 October 1995 |
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| Prime Minister | Aníbal Cavaco Silva |
| Preceded by | Jorge Sampaio |
| Succeeded by | Fernando Nogueira |
| Member of the Assembly of the Republic | |
| In office 3 June 1976 – 4 April 2002 |
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| Constituency | Castelo Branco |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres
30 April 1949 Parede, Cascais, Portugal |
| Citizenship |
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| Political party | Socialist |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon |
| Signature |  |
António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres (born 30 April 1949) is a politician and diplomat from Portugal. Since 2017, he has been the Secretary-General of the United Nations, which is like being the main leader of the UN. He is the ninth person to hold this important job. Before this, Guterres was the Prime Minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002. He is a member of the Portuguese Socialist Party.
Guterres led the Socialist Party from 1992 to 2002. He became Prime Minister in 1995. He resigned in 2002 after his party lost in local elections. Even after this, many people in Portugal still thought he was one of the best prime ministers of the last 30 years.
He also led the Socialist International from 1999 to 2005. This is an organization for socialist political parties around the world. From 2005 to 2015, he was the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This means he helped lead efforts to support refugees worldwide. In October 2016, Guterres was chosen to be the UN Secretary-General. He took office in January 2017, becoming the first European to hold this role since 1981.
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Early Life and Education
António Guterres was born in Parede, Portugal, and grew up in Lisbon. His parents were Virgílio Dias Guterres and Ilda Cândida dos Reis Oliveira Guterres.
He went to Camões Lyceum, a high school, and graduated in 1965. He was the best student in the country that year. He then studied physics and electrical engineering at Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon. After graduating in 1971, he worked as a professor. He taught about systems and telecommunications. Later, he left his academic job to start a career in politics. During his university years, he joined a group for young Catholics. There, he met Father Vítor Melícias, who became a close friend.
Political Journey
Guterres started his political journey in 1974. He became a member of the Socialist Party. Soon after, he became a full-time politician. After the Carnation Revolution in 1974, which ended a dictatorship in Portugal, Guterres became a leader in the Socialist Party.
He held several important positions:
- Head of Office for the Secretary of State of Industry (1974 and 1975).
- Member of the Portuguese National Parliament for Castelo Branco (1976–1995).
- Leader of the Socialist Party in Parliament (1988).
Guterres was part of the team that worked on Portugal joining the European Union in the late 1970s. In 1991, he helped start the Portuguese Refugee Council.
In 1992, Guterres became the leader of the Socialist Party. This made him the leader of the opposition against the government led by Aníbal Cavaco Silva. He was also chosen as one of the vice presidents of the Socialist International. Guterres was a devout Catholic, which was a new thing for the Socialist Party at the time. He talked with many different people in Portugal to help shape his policies.
Prime Minister of Portugal
In 1995, the Socialist Party won the parliamentary election. President Soares then made Guterres the Prime Minister. His government officially started on 28 October 1995.
Guterres promised to manage the country's money carefully. He wanted Portugal to meet the requirements to join the Euro currency. He also aimed to help more people find jobs, especially women. His plans included improving tax collection and helping people in need. He was one of seven Social Democratic prime ministers in the European Union at that time.
First Term (1995–1999)
Guterres was a popular prime minister during his first years. He was known for talking and discussing issues with everyone. Portugal's economy was growing, which helped his government. They were able to spend more on social programs while also reducing government debt. His government also sold off some state-owned companies. This helped to bring in money and spread ownership among more people.
In 1998, Guterres oversaw Expo 98 in Lisbon. This was a big event celebrating 500 years since Vasco da Gama's famous sea voyage.
In foreign policy, Guterres pushed for the United Nations to help East Timor in 1999. East Timor had been badly damaged after voting for independence. He also completed the long talks about giving Macau, a Portuguese colony, back to China in 1999.
Second Term (1999–2002)
In the 1999 election, the Socialist Party and the opposition won the same number of seats. Guterres was still made Prime Minister. From January to July 2000, he was the rotating president of the European Council. However, his second term was not as smooth. There were problems within his party and the economy slowed down. A bridge disaster also affected his popularity. Despite this, some important changes were made. In March 2001, same-sex civil unions became legal.
In December 2001, the Socialist Party lost badly in local elections. Guterres resigned to prevent the country from having more political problems. The President called for new elections. The Socialist Party then lost the general election to the Social Democratic Party.
President of Socialist International
Guterres was chosen as the president of Socialist International in November 1999. He held this role while also being Prime Minister of Portugal. He remained president of the Socialist International until June 2005.
Diplomatic Career
In May 2005, Guterres was chosen to be the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. This was a five-year job.
High Commissioner for Refugees
As High Commissioner, Guterres led one of the world's largest humanitarian groups. By the end of his time, it had over 10,000 staff in 126 countries. They helped more than 60 million refugees and displaced people. During his time, he made big changes to the organization. He cut costs at the main office in Geneva. He also made the UNHCR better at responding to emergencies. This was important during the biggest displacement crisis since World War II.
In 2006, Guterres visited China. He spoke against China sending North Korean refugees back to their country.
In 2007, Guterres talked about the problems faced by Iraqi refugees. He said it was one of the biggest refugee crises in the Middle East since 1948. He also mentioned less-known crises in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In his last years as High Commissioner, he worked hard to get international help for refugees from the Syrian civil war. He called the refugee crisis "existential" for countries like Lebanon and Jordan. He said more aid was "a matter of survival" for the refugees. He also strongly supported a kinder approach by European countries to the Mediterranean refugee crisis. In June 2013, he started a huge aid effort, raising US$5 billion to help Syrians.
In 2012, Guterres appointed actress Angelina Jolie as his special envoy. She helped represent the UNHCR and him at a diplomatic level. They visited refugee facilities in Turkey and Jordan. They also appeared together before the United Nations Security Council.
In 2015, the UN General Assembly extended Guterres's term until December 31. He left office on that date. He had served the second-longest term as High Commissioner in the organization's history.
United Nations Secretary-General
Becoming Secretary-General
Guterres became the United Nations Secretary-General on 1 January 2017. He was formally elected by the UN General Assembly on 13 October 2016.
On 29 February 2016, Guterres put his name forward to be Portugal's candidate for UN Secretary-General. This was the first time candidates had to present their plans in public hearings. Guterres did very well in these hearings.
On 5 October, the 15 members of the United Nations Security Council agreed to nominate Guterres. They voted for him in a secret ballot. The Security Council officially nominated him on 6 October. A week later, the United Nations General Assembly formally elected him. Guterres started his job on 1 January 2017.
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First Term
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On his first day as Secretary-General, Guterres promised to make 2017 a year for peace.
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In September 2018, Guterres spoke to the United Nations General Assembly. He was the first Secretary-General to say that new technology would change jobs a lot. He suggested stronger safety nets, like a basic income for everyone.
In June 2019, Guterres said the UN must lead the fight against climate change. He said this during a visit to the island of Tuvalu. He had also supported making "ecocide" (destroying the environment) a crime.
In September 2020, he asked for global cooperation to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. He also called for a worldwide ceasefire by the end of 2020. Guterres said he would continue talks to reform the United Nations Security Council.
Second Term
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On 8 June 2021, the United Nations Security Council supported Guterres being re-elected as Secretary-General. On 18 June 2021, the United Nations General Assembly appointed him for a second term.
In July 2021, Guterres said it would be "highly desirable" to make ecocide a crime at the International Criminal Court.
In January 2023, Guterres called for a global effort to improve education. He said it was time to turn promises into real actions. He wanted to create learning environments that support all students. He also called for an end to laws that stop people from getting an education.
In July 2023, Guterres suggested creating an international group to oversee artificial intelligence. He said that AI has huge potential for both good and bad. He noted that even AI creators have warned about big, possibly dangerous risks. He believes the UN can help create rules and coordinate efforts worldwide for AI.
In January 2025, Guterres asked Rwanda to remove its troops from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He also asked them to stop supporting the M23 rebels.
Other Activities
António Guterres has been involved in many other important groups and activities:
- Chairman of the Honorary Advisory Council for the Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for journalists.
- Advisor to the board of Caixa Geral de Depósitos (2003–2005).
- Member of the Jury for the Vision Award at the Champalimaud Foundation.
- Member of the Leadership Council for the Clean Cooking Alliance.
- Member of the Club of Madrid (since 2002).
- Member of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR).
- Member of International Gender Champions (IGC).
- Chairman of the Jury for the European Regional Innovation Awards (2004).
- Member of the board of trustees for Friends of Europe.
- Non-executive member of the board of trustees for the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (2013–2018).
- Member of the Global Agenda Council on Humanitarian Assistance at the World Economic Forum (2008–2009).
- He resigned from the International Peace Institute in October 2020.
Personal Life
In 1972, Guterres married Luísa Amélia Guimarães e Melo. They had two children, Pedro (born 1977) and Mariana (born 1985). Luísa passed away in 1998.
In 2001, Guterres married Catarina Marques de Almeida Vaz Pinto. She was a former Portuguese state secretary for culture.
Besides his native Portuguese, Guterres also speaks English, French, and Spanish.
Guterres is a practicing Catholic.
Recognition
Guterres has received many awards and honors for his work.
Honours
National Honors
Grand Cross of the Military Order of Christ (2002)
Grand Cross of the Order of Liberty (2016)
Foreign Honors
Belgium: Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold (2000)
Brazil: Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross (1996)
Cape Verde: First Class of the Amílcar Cabral Order (2001)
Chile: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit (2001)
France: Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit (2002)
Greece: Grand Cross of the Order of Honour (2000)
Italy: Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (2001)
Japan: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun (2002)
Mexico: Sash of Special Category of the Order of the Aztec Eagle (1999)
Niger: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of Niger (2022)
Poland: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (1997)
Spain:
- Knight of the Collar of the Order of Charles III (2023)
- Knight of the Collar of the Order of Isabella the Catholic (2002)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III (2000)
Tunisia: Grand Cordon of the Order of the Republic (2002)
Turkmenistan: Jubilee Medal "25 years of Neutrality of Turkmenistan" (2020)
Ukraine: First Class of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise (2002)
Uruguay: Grand Officer of the Medal of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay (1998)
Uzbekistan: Order of Doʻstlik of the High Degree (2024)
Honorary Degrees
Guterres has received honorary doctorates from many universities:
- 2010 – University of Beira Interior
- 2014 – Meiji University
- 2016 – Carleton University
- 2016 – University of Coimbra
- 2016 – European University of Madrid
- 2017 – University of South Carolina
- 2021 – University of Cambridge
- 2022 – National University of Córdoba
- 2022 – Seton Hall University
Other Awards
- 2005 – Personality of the Year by the Foreign Press Association in Portugal
- 2007 – Freedom Award (shared with Angelina Jolie)
- 2009 – Calouste Gulbenkian International Prize
- 2009 – Listed on Forbes List of The World's Most Powerful People
- 2015 – W. Averell Harriman Democracy Award
- 2015 – The National German Sustainability Award
- 2019 – Charlemagne Prize
See Also
In Spanish: António Guterres para niños
- Climate change mitigation
- List of trips by António Guterres
Images for kids
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António Guterres's signature.
