Secretary-General of the United Nations the appointee's national origin and to gender equality, although no woman has yet served as Secretary-General. The length of the term is discretionary, but all Secretaries-General since 1971 have been appointed to five-year terms. Every Secretary-General since 1961 has been re-selected for a second term, with the exception of Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who was vetoed by the United States in the 1996 selection. There is a term limit of two full terms, established when China cast a record 16 vetoes against Kurt Waldheim's third term in the 1981 selection. No Secretary-General since 1981 has attempted to secure a third term. The
1996 United Nations Secretary-General selection the African Group's support for an Asian Secretary-General in the 2006 selection. The Security Council passed Resolution 1358 by acclamation on 27 June 2001, recommending Annan for a second term. The General Assembly approved his reappointment on 29 June 2001 in Resolution A/55/L.87. Annan's second term ran until 31 December 2006, setting the stage for the 2006 Secretary-General selection. 1996 United Nations Secretary-General selection A United Nations Secretary-General selection was held in 1996 at the end of Boutros Boutros-Ghali's first term. Boutros-Ghali ran unopposed for a second term and received the support of 14 of the 15 members of the