United Nations: Antonio Guterres (pictured) assumes the reins of the United Nations tomorrow hoping to breathe new life into the world body, in the wake of its impotence over Syria's humanitarian catastrophe.
The Portuguese former prime minister, 67, will become the first onetime head of government to lead the UN, succeeding South Korea's Ban Ki-moon for a five-year term.
His unanimous election has energized UN diplomats who see him as a skilled politician who may be able to overcome the divisions crippling the United Nations.
One Western ambassador regretted only that a woman wasn't picked to take the post for the first time, adding with a smile that "except for the gender, he is perfect."
Guterres faces a monumental task grappling with complex crises in Syria, South Sudan, Yemen, Burundi, North Korea and elsewhere -- overseeing a clunky entrenched bureaucracy and a bitterly divided Security Council that will leave him little room to maneuver.
Donald Trump's arrival in the White House on January 20 likely will further complicate his task. Guterres has acknowledged that "the secretary general is not the leader of the world," but rather that his work depends on the goodwill of the world's great powers.
After two terms under Ban, widely criticized for lacking initiative and charisma, some diplomats are banking on a change of style and personality to revitalize the UN.
An engineer by training and a practicing Catholic, Guterres fought for migrants' rights as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees from June 2005 to December 2015.
He served as prime minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002, anchoring his country to the European Union and working to raise living standards.
He has laid out three priorities for change: working for peace, supporting sustainable development and improving internal UN management.
