NATIONS, NEW YORK — Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Khalilur Rahman, has secured a historic victory to become the President of the upcoming 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), triggering immediate congratulations from the United States.The highly anticipated secret ballot concluded on Tuesday at the UN Headquarters, marking a monumental diplomatic triumph for Dhaka on the global stage.Inside the Vote CountThe election went down to the wire in the General Assembly Hall, with Dr. Rahman emerging victorious in a tightly contested race against Cyprus’s candidate, Ambassador Andreas Kakouris.Election MetricDetailsTotal Votes Cast190Dr. Khalilur Rahman (Bangladesh)99 votes (Winner)Andreas Kakouris (Cyprus)91 votesAbstentions / Invalid Ballots0Out of the 190 valid votes cast by member states, Dr. Rahman secured 99 votes to beat Kakouris, who garnered 91.
Notably, the election recorded zero abstentions and no invalidated ballots, underscoring the absolute engagement of the international community.Washington Swifts to Congratulate DhakaFollowing the official announcement of the results, the United States Ambassador to Bangladesh, Brent T. Christensen, issued a formal statement extending Washington’s support and congratulations to the newly elected UNGA President.”Congratulations to Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman on being elected President of the 81st United Nations General Assembly,” Ambassador Christensen stated in his message.Diplomatic observers view this victory as a powerful validation of Bangladesh’s growing influence in multilateral diplomacy and a reflection of international confidence in the country’s global leadership.Timeline of the PresidencyDr. Rahman will officially assume the podium at the UN Headquarters this autumn.September 8: Dr. Rahman formally takes over the gavel and gavel-in the opening of the 81st UNGA session.Late September: World leaders gather at the UN Headquarters in New York for the high-level annual General Debate to discuss pressing global crises.
