Who is Khalilur Rahman, Bangladesh FM who beat Cyprus to UNGA presidency?
Summary
Khalilur Rahman, Bangladesh's Foreign Minister, has been elected as the 81st president of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He won a close vote against Cyprus’s ambassador and will start his one-year term when the UNGA session opens in September 2024.Key Facts
- Khalilur Rahman joined Bangladesh’s foreign service in 1979 and has held senior positions at the UN before.
- He became Bangladesh’s foreign minister in February 2024 after his party won the national election.
- Rahman won the UNGA presidency by secret ballot with 99 votes, defeating Cyprus’s Andreas Kakouris by 8 votes.
- The UNGA president’s role is mostly ceremonial but important for representing all UN member countries.
- The presidency rotates among five regional groups; this session’s turn was for the Asia Pacific group.
- Rahman’s term coincides with the selection process for the next UN Secretary-General.
- Outgoing UNGA President Annalena Baerbock noted increasing challenges to trust and cooperation in the UN.
- The UNGA is the largest annual diplomatic meeting of all 193 UN member states.
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