Portugal's Guterres sworn in as United Nations secretary-general

Former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres was on Monday sworn in as the ninth United Nations Secretary-General in the body's 71-year history, replacing the outgoing South Korea's Ban Ki-moon, 72 who will be stepping down on January 1 after a two five-year terms.

Guterres, 67 took oat of office with his hand on a copy of the UN Charter in front of the 193-member General Assembly.

Guterres was the prime minister of Portugal from 1995 to 2002 and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees from 2005 to 2015.

He was elected to the top position among 13 candidates vying for the same position by acclamation in the General Assembly in October after he performed excellently well in answering questions before assembly members

Guterres addressed the 193 members nations after being sworn in by General Assembly President Peter Thomson, Guterres, saying the UN must work to simplify, decentralize and make more flexible its sprawling bureaucracy.

"From the acute crises in Syria, Yemen, South Sudan and elsewhere, to long-running disputes including the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, we need mediation, arbitration as well as creative diplomacy," Guterres said.

"As part of my good offices I am ready to engage personally in conflict resolution where it brings added value," he told the 193-member General Assembly.