Khalilur vows to seek common ground as UNGA president-elect amid growing global divisions

Bangladesh Foreign Minister and President-elect of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly Khalilur Rahman has said he will seek to build consensus and restore trust in the multilateral system at a time of growing global divisions and mounting challenges.

His presidency will coincide with one of the most significant events on the UN calendar – the selection of a successor to Secretary-General António Guterres, whose term ends on 31 December 2026.

The 81st session will open on 8 September, with world leaders gathering two weeks later for the annual high-level debate at UN Headquarters in New York.

"The UN will commence its ninth decade at a time when trust in our organisation is being tested on multiple fronts," Khalilur told UN member states.

He said that, taken together, challenges such as conflicts, climate change, inequality and pressure on multilateral institutions undermine public confidence in the organisation's ability to deliver on its promises.

The president-elect said he intends to act as a bridge-builder, promising to engage all member states and seek common ground despite growing divisions.

"As your president, I will dedicate myself to rebuilding trust, nurturing consensus, and opening space for good faith negotiations that will lead to outcomes for all that are owned by all," he said.

Khalilur also pledged to uphold the UN Charter, maintain geographical and gender balance within his office, and support the needs of smaller delegations.

He was elected UNGA president yesterday (2 June) after defeating Cyprus' Andreas Kakouris in a closely contested vote, positioning himself to steer the world body through a pivotal year marked by intensifying global crises, UN reform efforts and major leadership transitions.

Congratulatory messages have been pouring in for Khalilur following his election as president of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, which many see as a reflection of Bangladesh's growing global stature and his distinguished diplomatic career, an official told UNB.

In the secret-ballot election, Khalilur secured 99 votes against Kakouris's 91. A total of 190 ballots were cast, with no invalid votes or abstentions.

The presidency rotates among the UN's five regional groups, and the 81st session falls to the Asia-Pacific Group. Khalilur will serve a one-year term beginning on 8 September.

Khalilur brings more than four decades of diplomatic and multilateral experience to the role.

Before becoming Bangladesh's foreign minister in February, he served as national security adviser and high representative on the Rohingya issue during the interim government led by Prof Muhammad Yunus. 

A career diplomat, he joined Bangladesh's foreign service in 1979 and later held senior UN positions in New York and Geneva.

World under pressure

The election comes at a time that current General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock has described as exceptionally difficult for multilateral diplomacy.

Addressing member states after the vote, Baerbock said the UN was facing "not only headwinds, but immense pressure", with consensus increasingly difficult to achieve and defence of the UN Charter becoming "a daily necessity".

"The role of the president of the General Assembly is no longer simply procedural," she said.

Challenges ahead

Baerbock warned that the international environment was unlikely to become easier during the coming year as the Assembly continues work on implementing the Pact for the Future, advancing reform efforts through the UN80 initiative and navigating broader geopolitical divisions.

Secretary-General Guterres echoed those concerns, describing a world confronting "conflicts, divisions, rising inequality and climate chaos".

He also pointed to slowing progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), declining funding for humanitarian action and development, and international institutions that remain "stuck in the world as it was in 1945, not the world of today".

Six priorities for the 81st session

Khalilur said his presidency would focus on six broad priorities: peace and security; accelerating progress on the SDGs; climate action and environmental protection; human rights; governance of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence; and UN reform.

Drawing on Bangladesh's experience in peacekeeping, he pledged to support preventive diplomacy, peacebuilding and civilian protection.

He also highlighted the need to address development financing gaps, advance implementation of the Global Digital Compact and strengthen the UN's effectiveness at a time of growing pressure on multilateral institutions.

'Restoring trust'

Khalilur's overarching theme for the session is "Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All".

Guterres described the theme as "an inspiring call to action for the multilateral system" and said it reflected a commitment to strengthening global cooperation.

The General Assembly is the UN's most representative body, bringing together all 193 member states, each with one vote.

While its resolutions are generally not legally binding, the Assembly serves as the principal forum for international deliberation on peace and security, development, human rights and international law.