Bangladesh’s Khalilur Rahman elected President of UNGA 81st session

KATHMANDU: Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman has been elected President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), securing a majority vote in Tuesday’s election.

In the election held with participation from 190 UN member states, Rahman received 99 votes, defeating Cyprus’ Special Envoy for Multilateral Affairs, Andreas S. Kakouris, who secured 91 votes.

Rahman, who took oath as Bangladesh’s foreign minister in February 2026, will assume office in September when the 81st UNGA session begins. He will serve a one-year term as President of the Assembly.

In his acceptance remarks, Rahman highlighted pressing global challenges, including rising conflicts, setbacks in development progress, and a worsening human rights situation worldwide. He also warned that shrinking humanitarian space and increasing pressure on multilateralism are undermining global cooperation.

He further expressed concern over the United Nations’ ongoing financial challenges, noting that these issues could weaken public trust in the institution and its ability to deliver on its commitments. He pledged to work closely with all member states to address these difficulties.

Born in 1954, Rahman joined Bangladesh’s diplomatic service in 1979. He later served at the United Nations Secretariat, including as a special adviser at the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva in 1999.

With over 25 years of experience in the UN system, he has held several senior positions in New York and Geneva and contributed extensively to key UN publications as a lead writer and contributor.