Instead, the secretary-general has four broad duties:Mediating: The secretary-general can mediate between parties, publicly or confidentially, with or without a mandate from the Security Council. Warning: Through reports, fact-finding missions and briefings, the office can raise issues before the Security Council formally takes them up. No permanent members: By long-standing practice, the five permanent members of the Security Council do not put forward their own nationals for the post. The person recommended needs the support of nine of the UNSC's 15 members, including all five of the permanent members. General Assembly appointment (October): The candidate is put to the 193-member General Assembly, which appoints the secretary-general by a majority vote.