New York, June 3, 2026 — Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Khalilur Rahman, has been elected President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) for its 81st session following a tightly contested vote against Cyprus’ Andreas Kakouris at the UN headquarters in New York.
The election, conducted through a secret ballot on Tuesday, saw Rahman secure 99 votes, while Kakouris received 91 votes. A total of 190 member states participated in the voting process, with no abstentions or invalid ballots recorded.
Under the UN’s rotational arrangement, the presidency of the General Assembly moves among the organisation’s five regional groups. The Asia-Pacific group was entitled to nominate the president for the upcoming session, and Rahman will assume office on Sept. 8 for a one-year tenure.
His term is expected to coincide with a critical period for the United Nations, including the process of selecting a successor to Secretary-General António Guterres, whose second term concludes on Dec. 31, 2026.
Rahman brings extensive diplomatic experience spanning more than four decades. Since taking office as Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister in February, he has also served in key national and international roles, including as National Security Adviser and special envoy on Rohingya affairs. His diplomatic career began in 1979, and he has held senior appointments within the UN system in both New York and Geneva.
Speaking after his election, Rahman acknowledged the challenges confronting the international community and stressed the importance of restoring confidence in global institutions.
According to him, the UN is entering a new phase at a time when its effectiveness and credibility are being questioned across multiple fronts, making collective action more important than ever.
The incoming president outlined six major priorities for his tenure: promoting peace and security, accelerating achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), advancing climate and environmental initiatives, protecting human rights, strengthening governance of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and supporting institutional reforms within the UN.
Drawing from Bangladesh’s longstanding contributions to international peacekeeping efforts, he pledged support for conflict prevention, peacebuilding initiatives and the protection of civilians in crisis situations.
Rahman also underscored the need to close financing gaps affecting development programmes, implement commitments under the Global Digital Compact and improve the UN’s capacity to respond effectively to emerging global challenges.
His guiding theme for the 81st session is “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All.”
He said he intends to foster dialogue among member states, bridge differences and encourage consensus-building on pressing global issues.
Rahman further committed to upholding the principles of the UN Charter, promoting gender and geographical inclusiveness within his office and ensuring that smaller member states are adequately represented in decision-making processes.
The United Nations General Assembly remains the organisation’s most inclusive body, bringing together all 193 member states on an equal voting platform. Although its resolutions are generally non-binding, it serves as a central forum for deliberations on international peace and security, development, human rights and global cooperation.
The 81st session of the General Assembly is scheduled to begin on Sept. 8, with heads of state and government expected to convene later in the month for the annual high-level debate in New York.