Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman elected President of 81st UN General Assembly; Jaishankar extends congratulations

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman was elected President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday, defeating Cypriot diplomat Andreas Kakouris in a closely contested vote.

Rahman secured 99 votes against Kakouris’ 91 in the election held among the 193-member UN body. He will assume office in September when the 81st session of the General Assembly begins, succeeding current President Annalena Baerbock.

Following his election, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar said in a post on X, “Congratulations to FM Dr. Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh on his election as President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Look forward to working closely with him to advance our shared priorities and strengthen multilateral cooperation.”

India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Parvathaneni Harish, also extended his congratulations, reaffirming India’s commitment to multilateralism and the United Nations.

Rahman, who became Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister in February, is a career diplomat with extensive experience in international affairs. He has previously served at Bangladesh’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, worked within the UN system, and held the position of National Security Adviser.

Addressing the General Assembly after his election, Rahman announced the theme of his presidency as “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All.”

“The eighty-first session of the Assembly will open at a historic crossroads,” Rahman said, highlighting the challenges facing the international community, including global conflicts, economic uncertainties, and sustainable development concerns.

He pledged to work with member states to prevent “another lost decade” of development and stressed the importance of multilateral cooperation in addressing global crises. Drawing on Bangladesh’s longstanding contribution to UN peacekeeping operations, Rahman said his country’s experience would help guide efforts to build consensus and strengthen international cooperation.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed Rahman’s election, saying the United Nations would benefit greatly from his “remarkable political and diplomatic experience.” He noted that Rahman would assume leadership of the Assembly at a time of both significant challenges and important opportunities for the organisation.

Current UNGA President Annalena Baerbock also congratulated Rahman, describing the upcoming session as particularly consequential and expressing confidence in his ability to guide the work of all 193 member states while upholding the principles of the UN Charter.

The United States also welcomed Rahman’s election. US Deputy Permanent Representative Tammy Bruce expressed hope that the incoming President would work to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the General Assembly while advancing its reform agenda.

Under the UN’s regional rotation system, it was the turn of the Asia-Pacific Group to nominate the President of the General Assembly. Rahman’s election marks the second time a Bangladeshi diplomat has held the position, following former Foreign Minister Humayun Rasheed Chowdhury, who served as President of the UN General Assembly during the 1986-87 session.

The 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly is scheduled to open on September 8, with the high-level General Debate beginning on September 22. The session is expected to address key global issues, including ongoing conflicts, economic challenges, UN reforms, and the selection process for the next UN Secretary-General.