New York (Monitoring Desk) Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalid Rahman has been elected President of the 81st session (2026–27) of the United Nations General Assembly. He defeated Cyprus candidate Andreas S. Kakouris in a close and competitive election.
In the voting held in the 193-member General Assembly, Khalid Rahman secured 99 votes, while his rival received 91 votes. A total of 96 votes were required to win, and thus Khalid Rahman achieved the required majority.
According to United Nations rules, the President of the General Assembly is elected annually through a secret ballot of all member states, with each country having one vote.
Although the election is formally competitive, there is usually an understanding among regional groups based on a rotational system. This time, the Asia-Pacific Group had the right to nominate a candidate for the 81st session, resulting in a contest between candidates supported by Bangladesh and Cyprus.
Khalid Rahman will formally assume office at the beginning of the 81st session of the General Assembly in September 2026 and will serve for one year. During this period, he will preside over meetings, oversee debates on global issues, and facilitate negotiations among member states.
According to analysts, this success reflects Bangladesh’s growing role in global diplomacy. The presidency of the General Assembly is considered an important diplomatic position that provides influence over key global issues such as peace, development, climate change, and UN reforms.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar congratulated Khalid Rahman on his success, saying that his extensive diplomatic experience and commitment to multilateral cooperation would play an important role in effective leadership of the General Assembly.