Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Secretary-General is the chief administrative officer of the United Nations.
Understanding the chronological sequence of their tenures helps illustrate the evolution of UN leadership through various global eras.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Determining the years of tenure for each Secretary-General listed:
- Boutros Boutros-Ghali (4): Served as the sixth Secretary-General from 1992 to 1996.
- Kofi Annan (1): Served as the seventh Secretary-General from 1997 to 2006.
- Ban Ki-moon (2): Served as the eighth Secretary-General from 2007 to 2016.
- Antonio Guterres (3): Has been serving as the ninth Secretary-General since 2017.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Arranging these individuals based on their starting years provides the sequence: 4 (Boutros-Ghali), 1 (Annan), 2 (Ban Ki-moon), and then 3 (Guterres).
This sequence is represented by the order 4, 1, 2, 3.
Therefore, option (A) is the correct answer.