UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has congratulated Bangladeshi Foreign Minister, Dr Khalilur Rahman on his election as President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Rahman, secured the highest votes, in an election, which was conducted at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday.
The results were announced following the conclusion of voting by the current President of the UNGA and former German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock.
She said a total of 190 votes were cast. Bangladesh’s candidate Dr Khalilur Rahman secured 99 votes defeating his rival, Cyprus Ambassador Andreas Kakouris, who received 91 votes, by a margin of eight votes.
With the victory, Rahman secured the Asia-Pacific Group’s rotational seat for the presidency of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
Guterres told the president-elect that his remarkable political and diplomatic experience were a guarantee for success to the benefit of not only the General Assembly but the United Nations as a whole.
He assured the president-elect of his support as he takes on this important responsibility.
“I also want to pay tribute to Her Excellency, Annalena Baerbock of Germany for her outstanding leadership as President of the 80th Session.
“Since her election, President Baerbock has brought to life her vision of “Better Together.”
“At this delicate moment in international relations, she rallied member states around implementation of the important actions contained in the Pact for the Future to rebuild trust in the multilateral system.
“And I also fully appreciate her commitment to reform through the UN80 Initiative process, as we work with member states to make our organisation more effective, agile, and prepared for the challenges ahead.”
According to him, as the fifth woman to take on the role of President of the General Assembly, she has consistently reminded us that women’s rights are embedded in the UN’s founding principles and are essential for global justice.
“President Baerbock – thank you for your wisdom, guidance, and deep commitment to the United Nations and multilateral solutions.’’
The UN chief then told the President-elect that he was taking the reins of the 81st General Assembly at a moment of deep challenge but also profound possibility “for our organisation”.
“We face conflicts, divisions, rising inequality, and climate chaos.
“Lagging progress on the Sustainable Development Goals – our blueprint for a better future – is unacceptable, with just one-fifth of the Goals on track.
“And we contend with institutions and structures that are stuck in the world as it was in 1945, not the world of today, from the UN Security Council, to the global financial architecture.
“And the global trust deficit is deepening, with countries turning their backs on one another,’’ he said
Guterres added that human suffering had been increasing even as humanitarian needs have reached record levels and funding for life-saving aid as well as sustainable development continue to decrease.
He said although the challenges were stark, the diplomacy and dialogue among members states provided hope.
“But the hard work of diplomacy, dialogue, and collaboration that happens each and every day here at the General Assembly gives me renewed hope that we can transform divisions into determination to work in common purpose.
“The Pact for the Future and the UN80 Initiative represent a blueprint for action, solutions, and bold reforms to carry our organisation into the future.
“And (the) work of this Assembly is critical to bringing these commitments to life, and delivering real solutions and results that can renew the world’s faith in the work we do here,’’ the UN chief said.
According to him, his theme is an inspiring call to action for the multilateral system – “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All.”
It reflects his commitment to strengthening the global problem-solving system that has delivered for the world since 1945.
NAN
