Bangladesh’s Khalilur Rahman was elected president of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in a secret ballot, winning 99 votes to 91.
Rahman will serve a one-year term beginning Sept. 8. The session will coincide with the selection of the successor to secretary-general António Guterres, whose term ends Dec. 31, 2026.
Rahman, Bangladesh’s foreign minister since February, previously served as national security adviser and high representative on the Rohingya issue. He joined Bangladesh’s foreign service in 1979 and has held senior United Nations posts in New York and Geneva.
Rahman said he was accepting the role “with humility and respect.”
“As your president, I will dedicate myself to rebuilding trust, nurturing consensus, and opening space for good faith negotiations,” he said.