(The only exception was the extremely popular and well-regarded Kofi Annan, who, despite having succeeded another African after one term, was selected for two consecutive terms.) With the position having cycled, since 1971, through Western Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia – Ban Ki-moon, the current second-term secretary-general, hails from South Korea – only one UN region has yet to be represented: Eastern Europe.
推选过程还需要每两届进行地区轮换，这虽然是一项非正式条件，但43年的具体执行已使其几乎成了必须的要求。（唯一的例外是广受欢迎和好评的科菲•安南，虽然在其就任前有位非洲人已经在任一届，但安南仍然实现了两届连任。）1971年来秘书长职务已经在西欧、拉美、非洲和亚洲（目前正履行第二届任期的秘书长潘基文来自韩国）轮换了一遍，只有一个联合国地区尚未选出代表，那就是东欧。