Khalilur Rahman assumes charge as President of UN General Assembly

Bangladesh has again occupied the seat of President of the United Nations General Assembly after four decades. Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman formally assumed charge by presiding over the 81st session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

In the election for the post of President of the UN General Assembly held on June 2 last, Bangladesh’s candidate Khalilur Rahman defeated his only rival, Cyprus candidate Andreas S Kakouris, by securing 99 votes.

The new session of the General Assembly began under the presidency of Khalilur Rahman at the UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday afternoon local time. Before assuming charge, he took the oath and presented his plans for the 81st session. After that he formally started work.

The high-level general debate of this session will begin with the speeches of heads of state and government on September 22, where Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will participate.

Former professional diplomat Khalilur Rahman has spent a major part of his career in various organisations of the United Nations in Geneva and New York. He joined as Special Adviser to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva in 1991. After that he served in various senior posts of the United Nations in New York and Geneva for about 25 years and also worked as the principal author of several United Nations publications.