New Delhi, June 3: Dr. Khalidur Rahman, the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, has been elected as the President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The voting took place on Tuesday at the UN Headquarters in New York. India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, extended his congratulations to him.
In a post on the social media platform X, Minister Jaishankar wrote, “Congratulations to Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr. Khalidur Rahman on his election as President of the 81st session of the UNGA. I look forward to working together to advance our shared priorities and strengthen multilateral cooperation.”
According to Bangladeshi media outlet Dhaka Tribune, the election occurred at 10 AM (New York time) in the General Assembly Hall, following the rules of procedure under Rule 30. The results were announced after the voting concluded that day.
The current president of the UNGA, former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, announced the results after the voting ended. She stated that a total of 190 votes were cast. Dr. Khalidur Rahman received 99 votes, defeating his opponent, the Ambassador of Cyprus, Andreas S. Kakouris, by an eight-vote margin. Kakouris garnered a total of 91 votes.
With this victory, Dr. Khalidur Rahman has secured the rotational seat for the Asia-Pacific group in the presidency of the 81st session of the UNGA.
Diplomatic sources informed Bangladeshi media outlet UNB that close attention was paid to this contest until the final stages, and shifting geopolitical dynamics played a significant role in the outcome.
This election marks Bangladesh’s return to the presidency of the UNGA after nearly four decades. The last time Bangladesh held this high-profile position was during the 41st session in 1986-87, when then-Foreign Minister Humayun Rashid Chowdhury was elected.
The presidency of the General Assembly rotates annually among five regional groups: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western Europe and Others. Each of the 193 member states of the UN casts one vote in each election.
The 81st session of the UNGA will commence on September 8, 2026, with high-level discussions starting on September 22.
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