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Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman has won the race to become the next president of the 193-member United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
According to Associated Press, Rahman defeated Cyprus’ Ambassador Andreas Kakouris 99-91, in a secret-ballot vote, with three countries not voting. He will be succeeding Germany’s former Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, whose one-year term will end in September.
The presidency of the world body rotates by region and this year it was the Asia-Pacific region’s turn.
Following the announcement, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres congratulated Rahman, saying, “Your remarkable political and diplomatic experience are a guarantee of success not only to the General Assembly but to the United Nations as
a whole.”
Who Is Khalilur Rahman?
Khalilur Rahman was appointed as Bangldesh’s Foreign Minister in February by the new Prime Minister.
A career diplomat, he had previously served as national security adviser in the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, and as an ambassador.
He joined the foreign service in 1979 and has even held several senior positions at the United Nations in Geneva and New York. He has also served as spokesperson for the Least Developed Countries group and as a special adviser to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
After winning the UNGA race, AP quoted Rahman telling diplomats in the General Assembly hall that its 81st session will open “at a historic crossroads” when “trust in our organization is being tested on multiple fronts.”
“Despite advancements in human rights, we witness a general backsliding of certain rights and freedoms across the world and shrinking humanitarian space,” he said whiled adding that conflict and war continue to inflict “untold suffering, development gains remain fragile and uncertain, and in some cases are regressing”.
“This is a challenge I will confront with all of you,” he told the assembly.
