The Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations is the legal representative of the Secretariat of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR).

History

The position was established by the UNASUR Constitutive Treaty and the first Secretary General was designated on 4 May 2010.

Function

The Secretary General of UNASUR is proposed by the Foreign Ministers council, and designated by the Heads of State and Government council for a two-year term, renewable once. A Secretary General cannot be of the same nationality in succession.

The Secretary General exercises the legal representation of the UNASUR Secretariat. The officials selection for the latter requires an equitative representation between UNASUR Member States

Member State of the Union of South American Nations

There are currently 12 member states of the Union of South American Nations.Of these, four belong to the Andean Community of Nations , and four to Mercosur.-UNASUL member states:-observer states:...

. It also requires an equitative representation, as much as possible, along gender

Gender

Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...

, language and ethnic criteria.
The tasks of the Secretary General are:

• Helping the Heads of State council, the Foreign Ministers council, the Delegates council, and the Pro Tempore President
  President Pro tempore of Unasur
  The President Pro Tempore of the Union of South American Nations is the head position and representant of the Union of South American Nations . At international meetings, the declarations and concerted opinions of the supranational organism are presented by the President Pro Tempore...
  
  , in the accomplishment of their tasks.

• Proposing initiatives and monitoring the adequate functioning of the UNASUR organizations.

• Composing and presenting the Annual Memory, and respective reports, to UNASUR organizations meetings.

• Serving as the legal depositary of UNASUR Agreements, and allowing its publication.

• Composing the annual budget for the Delegates Council consideration, and adopting measures for good management and administration, as needed.

• Projecting reglamentations for the Secretariat, and submitting them to the pertaining bodies for consideration and approval.

• Coordinating the labor bestowed on it by UNASUR organizations along with other Latin American and the Caribbean integration and cooperation entities.

• Executing, according to reglamentations, every necessary legal action for the good management and administration of the Secretariat.

List of Secretaries-General

	Secretary General	Photo	Lifespan	State	Occupation	Took office	Left office
1.	Néstor Carlos Kirchner Néstor Kirchner Néstor Carlos Kirchner was an Argentine politician who served as the 54th President of Argentina from 25 May 2003 until 10 December 2007. Previously, he was Governor of Santa Cruz Province since 10 December 1991. He briefly served as Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations ...		1950-2010	Argentina	Lawyer Lawyer A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...	4 May 2010	27 October 2010
During this interval, the post was vacant.
2.	María Emma Mejía Vélez María Emma Mejía Vélez María Emma Mejía Vélez is a Colombian journalist and politician who has served as Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of National Education, and Ambassador to Spain...		1953-	Colombia	Journalist Journalist A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...	9 May 2011	Incumbent