Bangladesh diplomat elected as UN General Assembly president in close election

Khalilur Rahman, Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, has been elected president of the UN General Assembly’s 81st session, receiving 99 votes in a secret ballot against Cyprus’s Ambassador Andreas Kakouris. His one-year term begins on September 8, coinciding with the critical process of selecting a successor to Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Rahman, a seasoned diplomat and former national security adviser, highlighted the challenges facing the UN and the need to restore trust in the organization.

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