Khalilur Rahman was elected President at the 81st session of the UNGA, receiving 99 votes in a secret ballot.
Published on June 3, 2026
Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman was elected president of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly after defeating Cypriot Ambassador Andreas Kakouris in a closely contested vote, taking the helm of the world’s most representative diplomatic body at a time of growing pressure on the multilateral system.
In Tuesday’s secret ballot, Rahman secured 99 votes, eight more than his rival Kakouris. A total of 190 ballots were cast and there were no invalid votes or abstentions.
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The presidency rotates between the five regional groups of the United Nations, and the 81st session falls to the Asia-Pacific Group. Rahman will serve a one-year term starting September 8, the United Nations said.
His presidency coincides with one of the most consequential processes in the UN calendar: the selection of the successor to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term expires at the end of this year.
Rahman served as national security adviser and senior official on the Rohingya issue before becoming Bangladesh’s foreign minister in February when the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) won the country’s election campaign first choice since a student-led uprising in 2024 ousted longtime leader Sheikh Hasina.
A career diplomat, he joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1979. He also held senior UN positions in New York and Geneva, according to UN News.
“The United Nations will enter its ninth decade at a time when trust in our organization will be tested on multiple fronts,” he told diplomats gathered at the UNGA as he accepted the new role. “Taken together, these challenges tend to undermine public confidence in our organization’s ability to deliver on its promises.”
The outgoing UNGA President and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock emphasized that trust in multilateralism is coming under increasing pressure.
The United Nations faces “not only headwinds but also enormous pressure” as it becomes increasingly difficult to reach consensus and defending the UN Charter becomes “a daily necessity.”
“The role of President of the General Assembly is no longer just a procedural role,” she said.
Forum for important global issues
The General Assembly is the most representative body of the United Nations, bringing together all 193 member states with one vote each. Its annual meeting in September in New York is the only UN forum where leaders of all countries, large and small, can speak.
Although its resolutions are generally not legally binding, the body serves as the main forum for international deliberations on key issues, from security to human rights, and reflects global opinion.
The UN General Assembly also makes important decisions for the UN, including the appointment of the Secretary-General upon the recommendation of the UN Security Council, the election of non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, and the approval of the UN budget.
The upcoming session will open on September 8th.
