Egypt has congratulated Antonio Guterres on his re-election as UN secretary general for a second five-year term.

“We look forward to continuing cooperation with the UN regarding regional and international issues to promote security, stability and prosperity,” foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Hafez tweeted late on Friday.

Guterres, who was nominated by homeland Portugal and appointed by acclamation by the General Assembly following an earlier endorsement by the UN Security Council, was the sole candidate from the UN’s 193 Member States to compete for the post.

This will be his second term after his first began in January 2017.

His second term will run from January 2022 to December 2026.

“I am deeply honoured and grateful for the trust placed in me to serve as the Secretary-General of the United Nations for a second term. Serving the UN is an immense privilege and a most noble duty,” he tweeted following his re-election on Friday.