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  "path": "/partner/bangladeshi-fm-elected-president-unga",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-02T17:37:58.000Z",
  "site": "https://nukta.com",
  "textContent": "\n\n\n\nBangladesh's Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman was elected president of the 81st UN General Assembly on Tuesday in New York, in a rare contested vote. Rahman won 99 votes in the secret ballot against 91 for Cypriot diplomat Andreas Kakouris. He will assume the role in September, succeeding Germany's former foreign minister Annalena Baerbock.\n\n#### How did Khalilur Rahman win the UN General Assembly presidency?\n\nRahman secured the UNGA presidency through a secret ballot, winning 99 votes against 91 for Cyprus's Andreas Kakouris. The election was unusual because the presidency is typically filled by a single candidate accepted by unanimous consent, making a contested vote a rare occurrence for the position.\n\n#### Who is Khalilur Rahman?\n\nRahman became Bangladesh's foreign minister in February, following the country's first elections since the 2024 ouster of longtime prime minister Sheikh Hasina. Under the interim government of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, he served as national security advisor and the administration's lead on Bangladesh's large population of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. He holds degrees in law and economics from U.S. universities and has participated in trade talks with Washington.\n\n#### Why was the UNGA presidential election contested this year?\n\nThe president of the UN General Assembly is elected annually for a one-year term on a geographical rotation, but contested elections are rare. This year the position was allocated to the Asia-Pacific region, which includes both Bangladesh and Cyprus. A third candidate, Palestinian Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour, withdrew after his candidacy drew strong criticism from Israel.",
  "title": "Bangladeshi FM Khalilur Rahman elected president of UN General Assembly"
}