WASHINGTON - Recently departed US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner will join the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) later this month as a distinguished fellow, the think tank announced Wednesday.

The 75th US treasury secretary, who was previously a senior fellow at CFR in 2001, will be based at the organization's headquarters in New York, the think tank said in a statement.

"Both at Treasury and at the New York Federal Reserve, Tim was a tireless, creative, and responsible custodian of the public trust. His coming to CFR only strengthens our capacity to produce thoughtful analysis of issues at the intersection of economic, political, and strategic developments," said CFR President Richard Haass.

As US President Barack Obama's principal economic aid, Geithner played a key role in formulating US domestic and international economic policy for the past four years.