UN chief set to announce campaign for second term

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is expected to announce his candidacy for a second term as early as this week.

Once Mr Ban makes an announcement, the UN Security Council must give a positive recommendation which it would do in a resolution that needs at least nine "yes" votes and no veto by a permanent member - the US, Britain, France, Russia and China. The General Assembly of 192 members would then elect Ban for a second term starting on 1 January, 2012.

Egypt's UN Ambassador Maged Abdelaziz, whose country heads the 120-member Non-aligned Movement of mainly developing countries and China, said last month that he knew of no opposition to Mr Ban.

"My feeling is among the countries of the non-aligned that all of us are in support of his election," he said.

Yet Mr Ban has been criticised for his low-key style, his lack of charisma, and his failure to criticise human rights abuses in powerful countries.

When Mr Ban took over the helm of the UN from Kofi Annan, he called himself "a harmoniser and bridge-builder", promised to restore the body's reputation and push for peace in the Middle East and Sudan's conflict-ridden Darfur region.