Khalilur Rahman Secures Top UN General Assembly Role

NEW YORK: (Web Desk) – Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman has been elected president of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly following a rare contested vote at the United Nations.

Rahman secured 99 votes in a secret ballot, defeating Cypriot diplomat Andreas Kakouris, who received 91 votes.

He is set to assume the role in September, succeeding Annalena Baerbock, the outgoing president of the General Assembly.

The election was notable because the presidency is typically decided by consensus, with only one candidate usually put forward. Contested elections for the position are relatively uncommon.

Rahman was appointed Bangladesh’s foreign minister in February following the country’s first elections since the removal of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024.

Under the interim administration led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, Rahman also served as national security adviser and played a leading role in addressing issues related to Rohingya refugees who fled from neighboring Myanmar.

A graduate in law and economics from universities in the United States, Rahman has also participated in trade and diplomatic discussions involving Washington.

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The presidency of the UN General Assembly rotates annually among regional groups and carries a one-year mandate. This year, the position was allocated to the Asia-Pacific group, which includes Cyprus.

Another potential candidate, Riyad Mansour, withdrew from the race after facing strong objections from Israel.

Rahman’s election is being viewed as a significant diplomatic achievement for Bangladesh, placing one of its senior officials in one of the most prominent leadership roles within the United Nations system.