b. Powers and functions
According to the United Nations Charter, the Secretary-General is required to: participate in all meetings and to perform all functions entrusted to him by

the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Coun- cil, and the Trusteeship Council; report annually to the General Assembly on the work of the Organization; and to bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which, in his opinion, threatens international peace and security. The Secretary-General therefore functions as both the conscience of the international community and the servant of Member States.
The work carried out by the Secretariat is as varied as the problems dealt with by the United Nations. These range from mediating international disputes to issuing international stamps. The Secretariat’s functions are, inter alia, to: pro- vide support to the Secretary-General in fulfilling the functions entrusted to him or her under the Charter; promote the principles of the Charter and build understanding and public support for the objectives of the United Nations; promote economic and social development, development cooperation, human rights and international law; conduct studies, promote standards and provide information in various fields responding to the priority needs of Member States; and organize international conferences and other meetings.
The work of the Secretary-General entails routine daily consultations with world leaders and other individuals, attendance at sessions of various United Nations bodies, and worldwide travel as part of the overall effort to improve the state of international affairs. The Secretary-General issues an annual report in which he appraises the work of the Organization and presents his views on future priorities.