The current Secretary-General of the United Nations is_________

Analyze the question: The question asks who the Secretary-General of the UN was at the time of the exam (JAMB 2019). This is a current-affairs question under International Organisations in Government.

Explain the concept: The Secretary-General is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations. He is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council, and serves a renewable five-year term.

Go through the options:

• A. Ban Ki-moon: A South Korean who served as the 8th Secretary-General from 2007 to 2016. He is no longer in office, so this is wrong.
• B. Filippo Grandi: An Italian who is the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), not the Secretary-General.
• C. Jorge Sampaio: A former President of Portugal. He was the UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, not Secretary-General.
• D. Antonio Guterres: A Portuguese former Prime Minister and former UN High Commissioner for Refugees. He became the 9th Secretary-General on 1 January 2017, and was re-appointed for a second term starting in 2022.

Tip: Remember the pattern of recent Secretaries-General: Kofi Annan (Ghana, 1997-2006), then Ban Ki-moon (South Korea, 2007-2016), then Antonio Guterres (Portugal, 2017 to date). Also keep the other UN roles separate: Grandi is linked with refugees (UNHCR), so don't confuse him with the top job. In current-affairs questions, always match the person with the exact office.