Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman Elected President Of 81st UN General Assembly

Khalilur Rahman has been elected President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly , following a closely contested secret-ballot vote at UN headquarters in New York.

Rahman secured 99 votes out of 190 ballots cast, defeating Cyprus’ Special Envoy for Multilateralism Andreas Kakouris , who received 91 votes. A simple majority of 96 votes was required for election in the 193-member body.

The election was conducted in line with the UN’s regional rotation system , under which the 81st presidency was allocated to the Asia-Pacific Group . The new session of the General Assembly will open on September 8, 2026 , with Rahman expected to assume office then for a one-year term, succeeding Germany’s Annalena Baerbock .

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was present in the chamber as the result was announced, with member states applauding the outcome after the secret ballot.

Rahman, who became Bangladesh Foreign Minister in February 2026, previously served as National Security Adviser and High Representative on the Rohingya issue in the interim government. Reports indicate he brings decades of diplomatic and multilateral experience, including earlier work within the United Nations system.

According to his acceptance remarks, Rahman highlighted growing global challenges including conflicts, humanitarian crises, climate change, inequality, and UN reform pressures. He is expected to focus on rebuilding consensus among member states and strengthening the effectiveness of the world body.