The Secretary-General, Mr. Tjaco T. van den Hout, announced his intention to resign from his office at the 178th meeting of the PCA’s Administrative Council on April 22, 2008. The President of the Administrative Council, Mr. Maxime Verhagen, nominated H.E. Mr. Christiaan Kröner as his successor. The Council accepted the resignation of Mr. Van den Hout and approved the appointment of his successor. Mr. Kröner is currently the Netherlands’ Ambassador to the United States. Mr. Van den Hout, who remains in office until his successor’s arrival in September 2008, will return to diplomatic service where he has accepted an ambassadorial appointment. He has served the PCA for nine years and is the eleventh Secretary-General of the Organization since its founding in 1899.