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Secretary (title)
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<h2 id="general-secretary">General secretary</h2> <p>General secretary occurs as the title of a <a href="/facts/Minister_(government)/URxFu4Pk">ministerial</a> position of authority found in various organizations, such as <a href="/facts/Trade_union/PjeN2WKu">trade unions</a>, <a href="/facts/Communist_party/67myQQ7w">communist</a> and <a href="/facts/Socialist_party/6j1CcI4v">socialist parties</a>, and <a href="/facts/International_non-governmental_organization/qSJ3jDNL">international non-governmental organizations</a>. Examples include: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/General_Secretary_of_the_Trades_Union_Congress/J1bawdeN">General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Australian_Labor_Party_(New_South_Wales_Branch)/6WMg8qUH">General Secretary of the New South Wales Labor Party (Australia)</a></li> <li>Some church organizations, such as the <a href="/facts/National_Council_of_Churches/lDolBqqr">National Council of Churches</a> and the <a href="/facts/World_Council_of_Churches/r5R99yde">World Council of Churches</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/General_Secretary_of_the_Labour_Party/H0eze1bM">General Secretary of the Labour Party</a></li></ul> <h3>Communist Party</h3> <p class="note">Main article: <a href="/facts/General_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party/lLlhJhvK">General Secretary of the Communist Party</a></p> <p>General secretary or first secretary is the official title of leaders of most <a href="/facts/Communist_party/67myQQ7w">Communist political parties</a>. When a Communist party is the ruling party in a Communist-led <a href="/facts/One-party_state/bTmHoaGu">one-party state</a>, the general secretary is typically the country's <a href="/facts/De_facto/3Du6WQKh">de facto</a> leader. Examples include: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/General_Secretary_of_the_Chinese_Communist_Party/pMmwwJwu">General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/General_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party_of_Vietnam/1f2dunBb">General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party_of_Cuba/BCXVt3hq">General Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/General_Secretary_of_the_Lao_People%2527s_Revolutionary_Party/nCJSew3p">General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/General_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party_of_the_Soviet_Union/jJD3malu">General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/General_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party_of_Kampuchea/3StqLpJn">General Secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/General_Secretary_of_the_Mongolian_People%2527s_Party/rAQTIqUV">General Secretary of the Mongolian People's Party</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/General_Secretary_of_the_Workers%2527_Party_of_Korea/V2UH9f2h">General Secretary of the Workers' Party of Korea</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/President_of_the_League_of_Communists_of_Yugoslavia/SPaRYoeo">General Secretary of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Leadership_of_East_Germany/okgMbf9B">General Secretary of the Socialist Unity Party of East Germany</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/List_of_presidents_of_Czechoslovakia/MbBtJSTe">General Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Party_of_Labour_of_Albania/vavuJ8mX">General Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Romanian_Communist_Party/v19r9sLq">General Secretary of the Romanian Communist Party</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Hungarian_Socialist_Workers%2527_Party/UHCQo9hx">General Secretary of the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Polish_United_Workers%2527_Party/I3Ie0LXV">General Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/List_of_heads_of_state_of_Bulgaria/fPx95a9J">General Secretary of the Bulgarian Communist Party</a></li></ul> <h3>Dravidian Party</h3> <p>General secretary is the official title of leaders of most <a href="/facts/Dravidian_parties/PNBbIm30">Dravidian political parties</a>, that are politically influential in <a href="/facts/Tamil_Nadu/ouqcjUKE">Tamil Nadu</a> of Southern <a href="/facts/India/1kKHcnxM">India</a>. Examples include: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/General_Secretary_of_the_All_India_Anna_Dravida_Munnetra_Kazhagam/mSKE3baj">General Secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam</a></li> <li>General Secretary of the <a href="/facts/Dravida_Munnetra_Kazhagam/scBTTfy3">Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam</a></li> <li>General Secretary of the <a href="/facts/Marumalarchi_Dravida_Munnetra_Kazhagam/4W4774PG">Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam</a></li> <li>General Secretary of the <a href="/facts/Desiya_Murpokku_Dravida_Kazhagam/nhUoWaTQ">Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam</a></li></ul> <h2 id="secretary-general">Secretary-general</h2> <p>Examples include: </p> <h3>International intergovernmental organizations</h3> <table><tbody><tr><th>Organization</th><th>Title</th></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/African_Planning_Society/CjS9jfgl">African Planning Society</a> (APS)</td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary-General_of_the_African_Planning_Society/ktpLm2yf">Secretary-General of the African Planning Society</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Association_of_Southeast_Asian_Nations/77wDkXmL">Association of Southeast Asian Nations</a> (ASEAN)</td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary-General_of_ASEAN/HzohAhXv">Secretary-General of ASEAN</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Caribbean_Community/UhcyNKyh">Caribbean Community</a> (CARICOM)</td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary-General_of_the_Caribbean_Community/XkT4gUIh">Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Commonwealth_of_Nations/TcIRQnNq">Commonwealth of Nations</a></td><td>The <a href="/facts/Commonwealth_Secretary-General/ze2uHlup">Commonwealth Secretary-General</a> is the de facto leader. The secretary-general advises member nations and heads conferences with the <a href="/facts/Head_of_the_Commonwealth/Jh1Rx64c">Head of the Commonwealth</a>, currently King <a href="/facts/Charles_III/w4hCfC9k">Charles III</a>.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Council_of_Europe/51I3TyDg">Council of Europe</a> (COE)</td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary_General_of_the_Council_of_Europe/2CpEv5Ln">Secretary General of the Council of Europe</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Council_of_the_European_Union/xlE6rYKb">Council of the European Union</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary-General_of_the_Council_of_the_European_Union/YemkUjDo">Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/European_Commission/Cc5JgbEI">European Commission</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary-General_of_the_European_Commission/sSC7Wsyb">Secretary-General of the European Commission</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/European_Court_of_Auditors/c8NPH4Pw">European Court of Auditors</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary-General_of_the_European_Court_of_Auditors/g3CUlds7">Secretary-General of the European Court of Auditors</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/European_Economic_and_Social_Committee/mvAfHWrX">European Economic and Social Committee</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary-General_of_the_European_Economic_and_Social_Committee/zotgmVzH">Secretary-General of the European Economic and Social Committee</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/INTERPORTPOLICE/ntQ524PI">INTERPORTPOLICE</a></td><td>Secretary General of the INTERPORTPOLICE<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/League_of_Nations/PQlcKzXs">League of Nations</a> (1919–1946)</td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary_General_of_the_League_of_Nations/pYp4GXYq">Secretary General of the League of Nations</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/North_Atlantic_Treaty_Organization/dCeTddMY">North Atlantic Treaty Organization</a> (NATO)</td><td>The <a href="/facts/Secretary_General_of_NATO/SQ7c9f6l">Secretary General of NATO</a> is the chief administrative officer of NATO.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Organisation_for_Economic_Co-operation_and_Development/CI9W2zGv">Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development</a> (OECD)</td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary-General_of_the_OECD/CI9W2zGv">Secretary-General of the OECD</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Organisation_of_Islamic_Cooperation/wWSQSzfF">Organisation of Islamic Cooperation</a> (OIC)</td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary_General_of_the_Organisation_of_Islamic_Cooperation/wWSQSzfF">Secretary General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Organization_of_American_States/bxrtCRTI">Organization of American States</a> (OAS)</td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary_General_of_the_Organization_of_American_States/XocDcQqJ">Secretary General of the Organization of American States</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Organization_of_the_Petroleum_Exporting_Countries/aQ9cxyG6">Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries</a> (OPEC)</td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary_General_of_the_Organization_of_the_Petroleum_Exporting_Countries/UIqdjS9k">Secretary General of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Pacific_Islands_Forum/snJ8H1ak">Pacific Islands Forum</a></td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary_General_of_the_Pacific_Islands_Forum_Secretariat/eFDFS82R">Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Union_of_South_American_Nations/4aGg6G2m">Union of South American Nations</a> (UNASUR)</td><td><a href="/facts/Secretary_General_of_the_Union_of_South_American_Nations/gtkMS7pb">Secretary General of the UNASUR</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/United_Nations/fgXLnmgT">United Nations</a> (UN)</td><td>The <a href="/facts/Secretary-General_of_the_United_Nations/2nNU9WMu">Secretary-General of the United Nations</a> is described as the <a href="/facts/Chief_administrative_officer/SrwWGqvU">chief administrative officer</a> and the <a href="/facts/De_facto/3Du6WQKh">de facto</a> head of the United Nations. The Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations hires, terminates, and controls all <a href="/facts/United_Nations/fgXLnmgT">United Nations</a> staff and relief efforts around the World.</td></tr><tr><td><a href="/facts/Western_European_Union/KLtu7fbc">Western European Union</a> (WEU)</td><td><a href="/facts/List_of_Secretaries_General_of_the_Western_European_Union/aRUuwX7W">Secretary-General of the Western European Union</a></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="first-secretary">First secretary</h2> <p>First secretary is the title of the chief officer or leader in many organizations, and is also a modern <a href="/facts/Diplomatic_rank/pMXBDsQA">diplomatic rank</a>. Examples include: </p> <ul><li>Some <a href="/facts/Consumer_organization/64kn1m5V">consumer organizations</a>, such as the <a href="/facts/National_Consumers_League/K3slrwgl">National Consumers League</a></li> <li>Some political parties, especially <a href="/facts/Communist_party/67myQQ7w">Communist</a> or <a href="/facts/Socialist_Party/6j1CcI4v">Socialist Parties</a></li> <li>In Workers' Party and Communist Party organizations: <ul><li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party_of_Armenia/qLywaAS2">First Secretary of the Communist Party of Armenia</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party_of_Azerbaijan/qNGu0dKN">First Secretary of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan</a></li> <li>First Secretary of the <a href="/facts/Chinese_Communist_Party/MwS3Togt">Chinese Communist Party</a>—see <a href="/facts/Chinese_Communist_Party_Committee_Secretary/0hcNNN11">Party Committee Secretary</a> <ul><li>First Secretary of the <a href="/facts/Communist_Youth_League_of_China/35zqBRyd">Communist Youth League of China</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party_of_Cuba/BCXVt3hq">First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party_of_Czechoslovakia/8HyGl9kp">First Secretary of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_French_Socialist_Party/CPHYullY">First Secretary of the French Socialist Party</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_Georgian_Communist_Party/yNgLwryL">First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party_of_Lithuania/8o1FMnQg">First Secretary of the Communist Party of Lithuania</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_Polish_United_Workers%2527_Party/I3Ie0LXV">First Secretary of the Polish United Workers' Party</a></li> <li>First Secretary of the <a href="/facts/Communist_Party_of_the_Russian_Federation/AtdtwxUP">Communist Party of the Russian Federation</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party_of_the_Soviet_Union/jJD3malu">First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union</a> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Moscow_City_Committee_of_the_Communist_Party_of_the_Soviet_Union/o1A0WVrL">First Secretary of the Moscow Communist Party</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_Communist_Party_of_Tajikistan/nI9tUKmC">First Secretary of the Communist Party of Tajikistan</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_Ukrainian_Communist_Party/WeWuwFnr">First Secretary of the Ukrainian Communist Party</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_the_Workers%2527_Party_of_Vietnam/1f2dunBb">First Secretary of the Workers' Party of Vietnam</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/facts/First_Secretary_of_State/3Wfn6Q23">First Secretary of State</a>, a cabinet position in the United Kingdom</li> <li>First Secretary for Wales, now <a href="/facts/First_Minister_of_Wales/41l43k4f">First Minister of Wales</a></li> <li>First Secretary of the Admiralty—see <a href="/facts/Secretary_to_the_Admiralty/uk9GfAwE">Secretary to the Admiralty</a></li> <li>Some <a href="/facts/Trade_union/PjeN2WKu">trade unions</a>, especially in the United Kingdom</li> <li>The <a href="/facts/Ministry_of_Macedonia_and_Thrace/GmT8nsGt">General Secretariat for Macedonia and Thrace</a>, a government agency for the Greek regions of Macedonia and Thrace</li></ul> <h2 id="executive-secretary">Executive secretary</h2> <p>Examples include: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Commonwealth_of_Independent_States/DqccXsyS">Executive Secretary (Commonwealth of Independent States)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Executive_Secretary_(Philippines)/cTdUlqRP">Executive Secretary (Philippines)</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Executive_Secretary_for_Integral_Development/RtFNhYlj">Executive Secretary for Integral Development</a>, Organization of American States</li> <li><a href="/facts/Executive_Secretary_of_the_United_States_Department_of_State/TyfdGyP6">Executive Secretary of the United States Department of State</a></li></ul> <h2 id="secretary-treasurer">Secretary-treasurer</h2> <p>Within some organizations, the role of secretary is combined with that of <a href="/facts/Treasurer/6ooV6zEl">treasurer</a>, under the title of secretary-treasurer.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Undersecretary/sBUCImxX">Undersecretary</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Secretary_of_state/Ie66xVGH">Secretary of state</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Secretary/Plwk0x2e">Secretary</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Legal_secretary/ow3y3UyY">Legal secretary</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Cabinet_secretary/xXdV7bVC">Cabinet secretary</a> or <a href="/facts/Department_secretary/SwtJ2GlP">Department secretary</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Xi's here to stay: China leader tipped to outstay term". Yahoo! News. August 9, 2016. "A lot of analysts now see it as a given" that Xi will seek to stay Party General Secretary, the country's most powerful post, said Christopher K. Johnson, a former CIA analyst and now China specialist at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/xis-here-to-stay-china-leader-tipped-to-outstay-term-32278287.html" target="_blank">https://au.news.yahoo.com/xis-here-to-stay-china-leader-tipped-to-outstay-term-32278287.html</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>J. Otway-Ruthven, The King's Secretary and the Signet Office in the XV Century (1939), p. 60. <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>J. Otway-Ruthven, The King's Secretary and the Signet Office in the XV Century (1939), p. 60. <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 4th edition, Scott, Foresman and Company, Chicago, 1915, pp. 244–247. <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised, 4th edition, Scott, Foresman and Company, Chicago, 1915, pp. 244–247. <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"Interportpolice". Archived from the original on March 16, 2018. Retrieved March 16, 2018. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180316151712/https://www.interportpolice.org/secretary-general" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20180316151712/https://www.interportpolice.org/secretary-general</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"The Role of the Board of Directors | Ag Decision Maker". Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. Iowa State University. Retrieved February 14, 2025. <a href="https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/wholefarm/html/c5-71.html" target="_blank">https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/wholefarm/html/c5-71.html</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>