UN chief virtually certain to get second term

The worst kept secret at the United Nations is that Ban Ki-moon wants a second term as secretary-general and will almost certainly get it, possibly this month.

As he travels the world, working behind the scenes and publicly to help defuse crises and push for action on issues like climate change and women's rights, Ban has also been quietly lobbying for support from the 192 U.N. member states for a second five-year term.

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

UN diplomats believe the South Korean could announce his candidacy for a second term as early as this week.

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