On November 12, the United Nations General Assembly elected Bangladesh Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman as President of the 81st session for the 2026-2027 term. He secured 99 votes out of 190 valid ballots, with no votes against or abstentions. His opponent, Cyprus Ambassador to the UN Andreas Kakouris, received 91 votes.
The election was conducted by secret ballot. The position of General Assembly President rotates among five UN regional groups; the 81st session fell to the Asia-Pacific group. Mr. Rahman will officially assume office on September 8, 2026, and serve for one year.
His term coincides with one of the UN's most critical processes: selecting a successor to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, whose term ends later this year.
Speaking after his victory, Mr. Rahman said: “The UN is about to enter its ninth decade at a time when faith in our organization is being tested on many fronts. Taken together, these challenges tend to erode public trust in our organization's ability to deliver on its promises.”
The outgoing General Assembly President, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, stressed that trust in multilateralism is under growing pressure. She said the UN faces “not only headwinds but enormous pressure”, as consensus becomes harder to achieve and defending the UN Charter has become “a daily necessity.” Baerbock also remarked: “The role of the General Assembly President is no longer merely procedural.”
Mr. Khalilur Rahman previously served as National Security Advisor and High Commissioner for Rohingya issues before becoming Bangladesh's Foreign Minister in February 2026, following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) victory in the first election since the student-led uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024.
A career diplomat, he joined Bangladesh's foreign service in 1979. He has also held senior positions at the UN in New York and Geneva.
The General Assembly is the UN's most representative body, bringing together all 193 member states, each with one vote. Its annual session in September in New York is the only UN forum where world leaders, from large and small nations alike, can speak. While General Assembly resolutions are typically non-binding, the body serves as the primary forum for international debate on key issues from security to human rights. The General Assembly also makes crucial decisions for the UN, including appointing the Secretary-General on the recommendation of the Security Council, electing non-permanent members of the Security Council, and approving the UN budget.
The 81st session will open on September 8, 2026.
