Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman has been chosen to lead the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, placing the veteran diplomat at the helm of the world body's largest deliberative forum when the new session opens in September.
Out of 190 ballots, Rahman got 99 votes, while his rival from the Greek Cypriot Administration trailed with 91.
Former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, the current General Assembly president, "warmly" congratulated Rahman over his election.
Pledging to work together until Rahman takes office, she said: "The role of the president of the General Assembly is no longer simply procedural, reading out notes, because even in the procedural rules themselves, they are being challenged, as we have experienced many times before."
Saying that the 81st session will not become "any easier over the next three months," Baerbock stressed that Rahman is "more than prepared" for the position, adding that "your decade of diplomatic and multilateral experience will serve you well during what promises to be a particularly consequential 81st session as you work to build a more effective, responsive, and trusted multilateral system."
In his remarks, Rahman pointed to the challenges that the UN is facing, saying that it is "being tested on multiple fronts, scourges of conflict and war, from which our organization aimed to save our succeeding generations, continue to inflict untold sufferings."
"Taken together, these challenges tend to undermine the public trust and confidence in the ability of our organization to deliver its promises, and this is a challenge that I will confront together with all of you," he said.
He vowed to take "a holistic approach to peacekeeping and peacebuilding that prioritizes prevention and political solutions, strengthens peacebuilding, and protects civilians."
"I will support dialogue to make even peacekeeping more fit for purpose and advocate for greater representation of women in peacekeeping," he said, further pledging to be "mindful of achieving gender equality and full and meaningful participation of women and girls in all walks of life."
Also speaking at the UN General Assembly, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres congratulated Rahman on his election and said: "His theme is an inspiring call to action for the multilateral system, 'Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All.'"
"It reflects his commitment to strengthening the global problem-solving system that has delivered for the world since 1945," Guterres said.
Pledging "full support" to Rahman, the UN chief also said: "Your remarkable political and diplomatic experience are a guarantee of success to the benefit not only of the General Assembly but of the United Nations as a whole."
Guterres further thanked Baerbock for her efforts, saying that "as the fifth woman to take on the role of President of the General Assembly, she has consistently reminded us that women’s rights are embedded in the UN’s founding principles and are essential for global justice."
While acknowledging "stark" challenges across the globe, Guterres said: "But the hard work of diplomacy, dialogue and collaboration that happens each and every day here at the General Assembly gives me renewed hope that we can transform divisions into determination to work in common purpose."
