UN Transcripts — https://transcripts.un.org/en/ga/80/85
General Assembly: 85th plenary meeting, 80th session — General Assembly — 2 June 2026
Language: en
Automatically generated transcript — may contain errors. Not an official United Nations record.

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GA · PGA · Annalena Baerbock [0:04]:

Good morning. Please take your seats. The 85th Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly is called to order. I invite Member States, in accordance with Rule 30 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, to proceed to the election of the President of the General Assembly. At its 81st session. In accordance with Rule 30 of the Rules of Procedure, the Assembly shall elect a President at least 3 months before the opening of the session over which they are to preside. The President so elected will assume their functions only at the beginning of the session for which they are elected and shall hold office until the close of that session. In accordance with paragraph 1 of the Annex to Resolution 33/138 of December 19, 1978, the President of the Assembly at its 81st session should be elected from among the Asia-Pacific States. As members are aware, I have received the candidatures of Mr. Andreas Kakouras, of Cyprus and Mr. Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh for the presidency of the Assembly for the 81st session. In accordance with Rule 92 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, the election shall be held by secret ballot. Before we begin the voting process, I should like to remind member states that pursuant to Rule 88 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order on the actual conduct of the voting. Ballot papers will now be distributed and the voting thus begun. Ballot papers will only be given to delegate seated directly behind the country's nameplate. In accordance with Resolution 71/323 of September 8, 2017, the names of the candidates that have been communicated to the Secretariat at least 48 hours prior to the election today have been printed on the ballot papers. Also, an additional blank line corresponding to the number of the vacant seat to be filled In the present case, one has been provided on the ballot papers for inscribing another name as necessary. Representatives are requested to use only the ballot papers that are now being distributed and to put an X in the box next to the name of the candidate whom they wish to vote for, or write the name of an individual from among an eligible Asia-Pacific state on the blank line. Ballot papers containing more than one name or containing only the name of a country will be declared invalid. Ballot papers containing a vote for a representative who does not belong to an eligible Asia-Pacific state will also be declared invalid. If the box next to the name of a candidate is checked, The name of that candidate does not have to be repeated on the blank line. If a ballot paper contains any notation other than a vote in favor of the eligible candidate, those notations will be disregarded. If a mistake is made in filling out the ballot paper, delegations should request a new ballot paper from the Secretariat at the front of the General Assembly Hall. I invite the representatives of the following states to serve as tellers and to accompany the conference offices as they collect the ballot papers: Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Fiji, Maldives, and Trinidad and Tobago. Please proceed to collect the ballot papers.


Speaker 2 [9:24]:

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GA · PGA · Annalena Baerbock [10:10]:

May I request delegations who have not voted to do so now by approaching the podium to cast their votes. Anybody in the room who has not voted? We don't see any sign, therefore the voting is now closed. No more ballot papers will be accepted. I suspend the meeting for 15 minutes. Welcome back. The plenary meeting is resumed. Please take your seats. The result of the voting is as follows: number of ballot papers, 190; number of invalid ballots, 0; number of valid ballots, 190; abstentions, 0; number of members present and voting, 190; required simple majority of member states Present and voting: 96. Number of votes obtained: Khalilur Rahman, Bangladesh, 99. Andreas Kakouris, Cyprus, 91. Having obtained the required majority, His Excellency Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh has been elected President of the General Assembly at its 81st session. On behalf of the Assembly, I wholeheartedly congratulate His Excellency on his election. I will now deliver my statement as President of the General Assembly. Dear colleagues, I warmly congratulate His Excellency Mr. Khalilur Rahman on his election as President of the General Assembly at its 81st session. And those who are watching online and not being so familiar with the rules of procedures, this is the interesting fact of the United Nations, as many others, that you are elected 3 months before this session actually starts. But since the session before has only 12 months, the current session, the 80th, is still in the final quarter of the session. So as we are all preparing for football as well, if this would be the World Cup, it would be like reaching the 75th minute of the game and we are already discussing the next match without knowing how the current one will end. And like in football, in these days we are definitely not knowing what's going to happen in the next 3 months. But what I can promise you from the bottom of my heart, Your Excellency, is that different than in football, we will play the last part of this session together because this is the also unique part of the United Nations system that the remaining 3 months will be the so-called transition phase. And in the spirit of the 80th session, we have experienced that we are always better together, and now having 2 presidents at the same time, I'm really looking forward to the last 90th minutes or the end of the 80th session. And the good thing is that we have met before, that we have exchanged before,, and therefore I'm extremely sure that even though these are no ordinary times, as I opened the 80th session, I can say that this is one of the best jobs in the world you can have, and therefore, Mr. President-elect, I wish you all the best, and I promise that we will work until the final minute of our session, of our match, to help to set you and your team and all your resources behind it in the best spirit on the pitch. That spirit remains important because, as we all have experienced in the past three quarters of the 80th session, our United Nations, our house of diplomacy, is facing not only headwinds but immense pressure. The role of the President of the General Assembly is no longer simply procedural, reading out notes, because even in the procedural rules themselves, they are being challenged, as we have experienced many times before. The role, therefore, and indeed that of the wider General Assembly, has to have evolved in an era where consensus is no longer a given, where defending the Charter has become a daily necessity, especially by this hall, the General Assembly, and therefore especially by the President and the Secretary-General. And looking at the world outside, unfortunately, I cannot promise that the 81st session will become any easier over the next 3 months. The Assembly will need to continue addressing major intergovernmental processes including implementation of the Pact for the Future, as well as ongoing reform efforts through the UNAID initiative, which we are currently in the midst of, again in the spirit of Better Together, between the Secretariat, the SG, and the Office of the President of the General Assembly. And we try to set the pitch for the next session, dear Mr. President-elect, that the Assembly has already taken major steps forward on UNADY, particularly under Workstream 2. Just yesterday, a set of changes was implemented that, while seemingly small, is actually quite significant. I would say even a milestone for this Assembly, reducing speaking time to a sharp amount of time and also having an implementation and review how we can be also more efficient in our daily work in this Hall. There have also been improvements to other arrangements for mandated meetings, helping to ensure that every Member State not only has a seat in the Hall but also has the opportunity to be heard with the full Hall, for example like today. So I'm looking forward to working with you and your team over the next 90 days on further reform measures, including efforts to make High Level Week under your presidency not only successful, but also a little more streamlined. On that note, I'm also pleased to say that we have also made progress in easing the workload during that week by better distributing High Level Meetings. None of this is to suggest that the regular workload of the General Assembly will be any less demanding. All of it will require patience, tenacity, and unwavering commitment to our multilateral system— qualities for which you, Mr. President-elect, are more than prepared. Your decades of diplomatic and multilateral experience will serve you well during what promises to be a particularly consequential 81st session, as your work to build a more effective, responsive, and trusted multilateral system. In this regard, I commend your vision for the 81st session, "Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All," which reflects a deep understanding of the gravity of this moment. That vision will also serve you well in another major process that will span both the 80th and the 81st session, the selection of the next Secretary-General. And even though I have heard you loud and clear during the interactive dialogue saying that you really hope that this process will be over by the 80th session, well, on that one, I cannot only promise, but we are trying to do our best as a General Assembly, but it's also Security Council to play in that— that game as well. So therefore, what I can promise is that also on the selection process of the Secretary-General, we will work hand in hand through upcoming interactive dialogues and whatever will come next. In that regard, I have no doubt that your stewardship of the Assembly and the dedication and commitment you demonstrated during your interactive dialogue will prove beneficial both to the process and to the wider Assembly, reinforcing the importance of transparency and engagement in critical undertakings. Mr. President-elect, dear Excellencies, I join the General Assembly in expressing confidence in the leadership entrusted to you through this election, and I look forward to working closely with you and your team in preparation for the upcoming High-Level Week. While we do not know for certain what the coming months will bring, one thing is crystal clear: my team and I will work every day throughout this final quarter of the session in tandem with you and your team to ensure a smooth and successful 81st session. And I'm also preparing for your calls because you also mentioned in the interactive dialogue that you will call me in the middle of the night. So I think the best preparation is we watch one of the football games in the middle of the night, and then we can have also the follow-up telephone calls in September. Congratulations again. All the best, Mr. President-elect. I thank you. I now have the honour to invite His Excellency Khaliluah Rahman, who has just been elected President of the General Assembly at its 81st session, to take the floor.


GA · President-elect · Khalilur Rahman [22:13]:

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. Madam President, Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, friends, ladies and gentlemen, Madam President, many thanks for your words of felicitations, and I too look forward to working very closely with you in the final months of your presidency and the preparatory months of mine. And I will definitely keep my promise of calling you if necessary, middle of the night, football or no football. Excellencies, I am truly honored to have the opportunity to make this statement as President-elect of the 81st Session of the General Assembly. At the outset, I would like to express my deep appreciation to the Member States of the United Nations for the trust and confidence they have reposed in me. I accept the position of the President of the 81st Session with humility and respect. I would like to thank my Prime Minister, Mr. Tarek Raman, for nominating me for the position of the President of the UNGA and for supporting our campaign strongly and consistently. I would also like to express my appreciation to my countrymen for their support and my team and many friends around the world for their excellent contribution to our campaign. My family lovingly stood by me ever since my candidacy was announced, and the time that we spent on the campaign trail was not easy. So they accepted their suffering with smiles. Thank you. Last but not the least, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Ambassador Andreas Kakouris of Cyprus. Ambassador Kakouris, you led a very constructive campaign. a model campaign which will be known to our member states for many, many years. I wish you well in your all future endeavors. Excellencies, as our current President has said very well, the 81st session of the Assembly will open at historic crossroads. The UN will commence its 9th decade at a time when trust in our organization is being tested on multiple fronts. Scourges of conflict and war, from which our organization aimed to save our succeeding generations, continue to inflict untold sufferings. Development gains remain fragile and uncertain, and in some cases are regressing. Despite advancements in human rights, we witness a general backsliding of certain rights and freedoms across the world and shrinking humanitarian space. All this is happening at a time when multilateralism has come under increasing pressure and our organization faces financial stress. Taken together, these challenges tend to undermine the public trust and confidence in the ability of our organization to deliver its promises, uh, and this is a challenge that I will confront together with all of you. As I mentioned during the interactive debate, working with all of you, I envision addressing these challenges along 6 pillars of action. First, in advancing the organization's work on peace and security, I will draw inspiration from the work of more than 200,000 peacekeepers from Bangladesh who have contributed actively to international peace and security across the globe, from Cyprus to Sudan. Building on my country's experience, I would uphold the Assembly's moral and political authority and champion a holistic approach to peacekeeping and peacebuilding that prioritizes prevention and political solutions, strengthens peacebuilding, and protects civilians. I will support dialogue to make UN peacekeeping more fit for purpose and advocate for greater representation of women in peacekeeping. Excellencies, secondly, the 2030 Agenda is a major milestone in the work of the United Nations, but the gap between promise and delivery remains too wide. Ongoing energy insecurity has added a new layer of vulnerability for many countries, especially the Global South. As the International Energy Association recently said, the scope of the current energy crisis could be larger than those that we have seen in 1974 and 1979, which produced a lost decade of development for developing countries. I intend to work closely with member states on how we can prevent another lost decade of development and protect the vulnerable people in developing countries. On the implementation of Agenda 2030, with the SDG Summit 2027 in mind, I will work with you all to accelerate implementation of SDGs that are lagging or regressing. Building on the outcome of FFD IV and the compromiso de Sevilla, I will encourage member states to address SDG funding gaps, fulfill commitments on debt sustainability, and pursue reform on international financial architecture. I'll be particularly mindful of achieving gender equality and full and meaningful participation of women and girls in all walks of life. I will also be attentive to the implementation of the Doha Programme of Action for LDCs, ASWA Program of Action for LLDCs, and the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for the Seeds. Working with the member states, I will advance events cooperation with the African Union, particularly on Agenda 2063. Nearly 3/5 of global poor live in the middle-income countries, and often their problematic is glossed over in international discourse. Following up on a recent event, GEO Decision, I will convene a meeting to support the needs of middle-income countries during my presidency. Excellency, thirdly, on climate change, I will work with the member states on delivering on existing commitments, support operationalization of loss and damage fund, and protect diverse biodiversity, oceans, and land. Against the backdrop of the Ocean Decade, I will advance initiatives to promote science-based ocean action and effective partnerships for the conservation of marine ecosystems. I'll facilitate discussions at the first Conference of the Parties to the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement due in January 2027. Excellencies, fourthly, I will uphold even GS work on human rights. I will work towards promoting synergy within and beyond even human rights mechanisms through multi-stakeholder partnerships. I will lend full support of the Office of the PGA to the high-level meetings to mark the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action and the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development. I will underscore the importance of protecting humanitarian space and remaining attentive to refugees, migrants, and displaced communities whose vulnerabilities often miss the headlines. Bangladesh knows this in human terms, as you do, Mr. Secretary-General, when you visited the Rohingya camps last year, and as we have been sheltering for years about 1.2 million forcibly displaced Rohingya nationals of Myanmar. I know it personally when I served as my government's high representative on the Rohingya issue. Excellency, fifth, emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, big data, and digital platforms bring immense opportunities, but also, like any new technology, they entail serious risks, risks of inequality, bias, and misuse. The question is not whether we will use this technology, technologies. We will. But how we will govern them wisely and fairly and equitably. Building upon the important work of our current PGA, and I thank you, Madam, for it, I will champion inclusive implementation of the Global Digital Compact. I will work with UN Youth Office to address youth employment with the advent of AI and other emerging technologies. Excellency, Finally, we must collectively demonstrate that the UN can adapt, reform, and better deliver and justify every penny member states, all of you, contribute in order to restore trust in our organization. The 80th anniversary of the UN marked by the UN80 Initiative for which I profoundly thank Mr. Secretary-General, as well as the Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations have already charted an ambitious course for renewal of our organization. I will build upon these efforts and work with the Member States toward making UNGA an engine of member-driven and member-owned reform. I will organize inclusive consultations to advance the ideas in Shifting Paradigms: United to Deliver and remain invested in enhancing UNGS coordination and synergy with Security Council, ECOSOC, and Peace Building Commission. Excellencies, 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. I will unfailingly uphold the UN Charter and conduct the work of the Presidency in full accordance with the Code of Conduct of the President. And I ask you to hold me to account on this. I'll be president of all of you. I will engage all member states in the course of my work. I will not let my personal views interfere with my work as the PGA. I will seek common ground without ignoring differences. I'll organize my office reflecting geographical, gender, and linguistic balance, something I promised during my interactive debate., and I intend to keep this promise. Creating a group within the Office of the President to specifically serve the needs of the small delegations will be one of my early priorities. I will also hold consultations with the Secretary-General on the organization resources and resources for the Office of the President of the General Assembly. I call upon all Member States to contribute to the PGA Trust Fund to help carry out the work of the Office of the President. I will work with all of you to ensure adequate long-term funding for a robust internship program. I will set up a dedicated communication team for effective outreach throughout my presidency. Finally, I don't consider the work of the president as one-off event, but as a continuum, and I made this point very clear during my interactive debate with you. Therefore, Madam President, I will carry forward your important initiatives. In the coming days, I will remain in close touch with you for a smooth transition of our responsibilities, as you have very eloquently mentioned in your intervention. I'll be at your beck and call whenever you need me. I'll be there, and we will work together to make sure that this— the transition this time is one of the model transitions. I thank you all.


GA · PGA · Annalena Baerbock [34:17]:

I thank the President-elect of the General Assembly. I now give the floor to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, His Excellency His Excellency Antonio Guterres.


UN · SG · Antonio Guterres [36:03]:

Madam President of the General Assembly, Your Excellency the President-elect, Excellencies, let me begin by congratulating His Excellency Dr. Kahlilur Rahman from the People's Republic of Bangladesh on his election as President of the 81st Session of the General Assembly. His theme is an inspiring call to action for the multilateral system: "Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all." It reflects his commitment to strengthen the global problem-solving system that has delivered for the world since 1945. Mr. President-elect, your remarkable political and diplomatic experience are a guarantee of success to the benefit not only of the General Assembly, but of the United Nations as a whole. Mr. President-elect, you can also count on my full support as you take on this important responsibility. I also want to pay tribute to Her Excellency Annalena Baerbock of Germany for her outstanding leadership as President of the 80th Session. Since her election, President Baerbock has brought to life her vision of "better together." At this delicate moment in international relations, she rallied Member States around the implementation of the important actions contained in the Pact for the Future to rebuild trust in the multilateral system. And I also fully appreciate her commitment to reform through the UN Haiti Initiative process, as we work with Member States to make our Organization more effective, agile and prepared for the challenges ahead. And as the 5th woman to take on the role of President of the General Assembly, she has consistently reminded us that women's rights are embedded in the UN's founding principles and are essential for global justice. President Baerbock, thank you for your wisdom, guidance and deep commitment to the United Nations and multilateral solutions. Excellencies, Mr. President-elect, you are taking the reins of the 81st General Assembly at a moment of deep challenge but also profound possibility for our Organization. We face conflicts, divisions, rising inequality and climate chaos. Lagging progress on the Sustainable Development Goals—our blueprint for a better future—is unacceptable, with just one-fifth of the goals on track. And we contend with institutions and structures that are stuck in the world as it was in 1945—not the world of today—from the UN Security Council to the global financial architecture. And the global trust deficit is deepening, with countries turning their backs on one another. Human suffering is increasing. And even as humanitarian needs reach record levels, funding for life-saving and sustainable development continues to decrease. These challenges are stark. But the hard work of diplomacy, dialogue and collaboration that happens each and every day here in the General Assembly gives me renewed hope that we can transform divisions into determination to work in common purpose. The Pact for the Future and the UN Haiti Initiative represent a blueprint for action, solutions and bold reforms to carry our organization into the future. And the work of this Assembly is critical to bringing these commitments to life and delivering real solutions and results that can renew the world's faith in the work we do here. Mesdames et messieurs, excellencies. Ladies and gentlemen, excellencies.

For 8 decades, the United Nations has been the place where collaborative solutions to the world's greatest challenges are forged. I have enormous hope that the 81st session of the General Assembly will live up to this great promise. As we embark on the journey ahead, let us be guided by the same problem-solving spirit that has defined our organization from the very start. Let us demonstrate the solidarity and deliver the results that this defining moment in history demands. And that people and planet need and deserve. You can count on my full support, Mr. President-elect, in this important effort.


GA · PGA · Annalena Baerbock [41:00]:

Thank you. Merci beaucoup. I thank the Secretary-General. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mali who will speak on behalf of the African states.


Mali · Africa Group [41:26]:

Madam President, President-elect, Secretary-General, it's my honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the African Group on this important occasion. On behalf of the African Group, I wish to congratulate Dr. Khalil Rahman of Bangladesh on his election as President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. We express our most sincere wish of success to him. The 81st Session of the General Assembly will convene at a particularly consequential moment for our organization. This world continues to grapple with armed conflict,— the deepening climate crisis, growing food insecurity, widening inequality, and persistent threat of terrorism. The United Nations is simultaneously undertaking fundamental processes that will shape its future direction, including the selection and appointment of its next Secretary-General. The African Group thus hopes that the The President-elect will bring his considerable diplomatic experience and his stated commitment to multilateralism to bear in steering the processes with transparency, inclusivity, and fairness. The African Group appreciates the high responsibility that comes with the leading of the General Assembly, and we express our commitment to work with the President-elect to advance our shared objective. Our group will continue to support the Office of the President to this end. The African Group wishes to use this opportunity to pay tribute to Madam President Baerbock as outgoing Chair-President of the 80th Session of the General Assembly for your leadership during the demanding period. Under your stewardship, the Assembly advanced important work across multiple tracks, including the intergovernmental process emanating from the Pact of the Future, the UNAID initiative. We wish to commend you for your service and your engagement with all regional groups, including the African Group. Madam President, the African Group has attentively followed the President-elect during the informal interactive dialogue and has closely examined his vision. The African Group has taken note of his commitment of upholding the Charter of the United Nations, to serving as full-time and impartial President, and to paying particular attention to the concerns of all delegations and developing countries—commitments that resonate strongly with the priorities of our continent. In this regard, the African Group wishes to underscore the following matters that deserve particular attention during the 81st session. First, the African Group emphasizes that independence, impartiality, and integrity remain essential qualities for the President of the General Assembly to discharge the functions of the office successfully, and we trust that the President-elect will uphold these principles throughout his tenure. Second, the selection and appointment of the next Secretary-General will be a defining process of the 81st session. The African Group expects this process to be conducted in a transparent and inclusive manner, in full accordance with the General Assembly Resolution 2979/237 and Article 79 97 of the Charter and call on the President-elect to play an active role in ensuring that the broader membership is appropriately engaged. Third, the African Group underscored the imperative of Security Council reform consistent with the common African position as enshrined in the Nzalibonyi Consensus and the Sirt Declaration. The African reform model presented to the intergovernmental negotiations in May 2026 represent Africa's firm commitment to correcting the historical injustice of African exclusion from permanent representation of the Council. We look to the President-elect to ensure that the IGN process advances in a structured and result-oriented manner during the 81st session. Fourth, the implementation of the 2030 Agenda For Sustainable Development, Agenda 2063, and the outcome of the Pact of the Future require sustained political momentum. The African Group calls upon the President-elect to champion the development aspirations of Africa, including financing for development agenda, the operationalization of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and the preparation of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development. Fifth, the African Group calls the theme— recalls the theme of the African Union for 2026, Justice for African People and Persons with African Descent, and invites the President-elect to support initiatives that advance reparatory justice, the full implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent, and the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination. To conclude, Madam President, the African Group reiterates its congratulations to the President-elect and assures him of his full cooperation and support throughout the 81st session. I thank you.


GA · PGA · Annalena Baerbock [47:10]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Mali. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mongolia who will speak on behalf of the Asia-Pacific States.


Mongolia · Asia-Pacific Group [47:34]:

Madam President and Mr. President-elect, Mr. Secretary-General, Excellencies, and distinguished colleagues. At the outset, I wish to convey on behalf of the Asia-Pacific States our warmest congratulations to His Excellency Dr. Halilur Rahman of the People's Republic of Bangladesh on his election as President of the United Nations General Assembly for its 81st session. We wish the President-elect every success as he prepares to assume the responsibility— responsibilities of this high office. The General Assembly remains the most representative organ of the United Nations, and this role is especially important at a time when international community continues to face complex and interlinked challenges. In this regard, we underscore the importance of conducting the work of the Assembly in the spirit of inclusiveness, transparency, impartiality, and cooperation and mutual respect. The 81st session will be of particular importance as it coincides with the commencement of the process of the for the selection of the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. We are confident that the President-elect will guide the Assembly with commitment and dedication. I also take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to you, Madam President, Her Excellency Annalena Baerbock, for your leadership of the 80th session of the General Assembly. Please be assured of our continued support during the remainder of your presidency. In conclusion, let me once again congratulate President-elect, His Excellency Dr. Halaluru Raham, and the group of Asia-Pacific stands ready to extend its full cooperation and support to the presidency of the 81st session of the General Assembly. I thank you.


GA · PGA · Annalena Baerbock [49:32]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Mongolia. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of El Salvador, who will speak on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean states. Gracias.


El Salvador · GRULAC [49:56]:

Thank you, Madam President. I have the honor to address you and this honorable General Assembly on behalf of the Latin American and Caribbean States Group, GULAC, and to do so specifically to congratulate His Excellency Dr. Khaledur Rahman on his election as the President of the 81st session of the General Assembly and also to wish him every success. Your Excellency, you can count on the cooperation and support of GULAC during your term. Undoubtedly, the Excellency will assume the presidency at a crucial moment for the United Nations, one in which the General Assembly, as its most representative body and also the principal deliberative and normative organ, will play a fundamental role in promoting revitalized multilateralism, international cooperation, and solidarity in accordance with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations. And in that regard, we underscore the importance of the President-elect's commitment to carrying out the work of the Assembly with transparency, impartiality, collaboration, responsibility, and accountability, especially in view of the many high-level meetings that the General Assembly has mandated and which will be held during the next session. Mr. President-elect, we trust that your proactive leadership will contribute to the achievement of the results that are expected from these important processes, and we encourage the President-elect to continue with the practice of convening informal meetings of the General Committee throughout this session in order to produce tangible proposals that will allow us to address the overburdening of High-Level Week with meetings so that we can ensure that each of those meetings receives the importance that it deserves. Thank you. Gracias.


GA · PGA · Annalena Baerbock [52:08]:

I thank the distinguished representative of El Salvador. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of Canada who will speak on behalf of the Western European and other states.


Canada · WEOG [52:33]:

Madam President, on behalf of the members of the Western European and other state group, it is my honor to congratulate His Excellency Dr. Khalilur Rahman, for— on the occasion of his election as President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly. President-elect, your extensive diplomatic experience and perspectives will be important ensuring all members of the United Nations can participate equally in our multilateral system. We are also confident that under your leadership, the General Assembly will continue to serve as an inclusive platform that engages not only Member States but also civil society, youth, and other relevant stakeholders whose contributions are essential to strengthening trust, dialogue, and collective action within and beyond the United Nations. President-elect, the Assembly continues to face major challenges, from armed conflicts to humanitarian crisis, from climate change to deepening inequalities and sustainable development, compounded by an unprecedented liquidity crisis of our organization. We are continuing to witness an erosion of respect for international law, trust in each other's, and trust in the multilateral system and the normative framework we established. We welcome our commitment to restoring this trust and to engaging in dialogue with all members to find common ground on the world's most pressing issues. We are also— we also attach great importance to the role of the President of the General Assembly in supporting and assisting all member states in an impartial, transparent, and inclusive manner, ensuring that the Assembly remain responsive to the priorities and concerns of the entire membership. As we move beyond the UN's 88th anniversary, we are entering a period of important transformation within the organization itself while continuing to work on implementing the UN80 Initiative. We will work with you on advancing this meaningful and urgently needed change. Implementing key outcomes from our many processes will be a priority for us, and we look forward to working closely with you and your office in this regard. Enhancing ways in which the General Assembly can contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security in line with the Charter will be important for us. We also hope to work closely with you to advance gender equality and uphold multilingualism as a core value of the United Nations, furthering the initiatives of your predecessors in this regard. You can count on our support in building bridges and standing up for effective multilateralism and solidarity through our shared commitment to the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, and in holding each other accountable to pay our contributions to the UN budget in full and on time.

You will be guiding the General Assembly throughout the selection process for our next Secretary-General. We encourage you to work closely with the President of the Security Council, with a view to enabling a process that is transparent, fair, and structured, and with the goal of selecting the most qualified candidate for this position.

In conclusion, I wish to thank you, the President of the 80th Session of the General Assembly, Her Excellency Mrs. Baerbock, on behalf of all the WEOG members for your excellent leadership and strong commitment to guide the work of this assembly.


GA · PGA · Annalena Baerbock [57:11]:

Thank you. I thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of Canada. I now give the floor to the distinguished representative of the host country, the United States.


United States of America [57:36]:

On behalf of the United States, as host country of the United Nations, we extend our sincere congratulations to His Excellency Khalilur Rahman on his election as President of the General Assembly for its 81st session. Mr. President-elect, You assume the responsibility at a critical moment for the United Nations, when it must continue to swiftly implement overdue reform and demonstrate it can contribute to international peace and security. The General Assembly will rely on your impartial leadership to follow through on both counts. We hope that you seize this opportunity to improve the Assembly's efficiency, reduce its costs, and refocus on core issues, measuring success by the quality of the results achieved, not by the volume of declarations produced. Mr. President-elect, the United States looks forward to working with you, both as the host country and as a member state, to ensure the United Nations can live up to its potential and advance international peace and security. Thank you.


GA · PGA · Annalena Baerbock [58:55]:

I thank the distinguished representative of the United States. I would like to remind members that in accordance with Resolution 70/305 of September 13th, 2016, the president-elect will take an oath of office of his own at the moment of handing over the gavel in the final plenary meeting of the 80th session. The Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of Agenda Item 4. As announced in the Journal of the United Nations, we will now proceed to the drawing of lots to determine the member states which will occupy the first seat in the Assembly Hall at the 81st first session. In accordance with established practice, the Secretary-General draws the name of one member state from a box containing the names of the member states of the Assembly. The delegation that will be drawn will occupy the first seat in the Assembly Hall, and the other countries will follow in the English alphabetical order, also taking into account resolutions ES/10/23 of May 10th, 2024. The same order will be observed in the main committee. I now invite the Secretary General to proceed with the drawing of lots.


UN · SG · Antonio Guterres [1:00:49]:

Morocco.


GA · PGA · Annalena Baerbock [1:01:28]:

I thank the Secretary-General for drawing the lots, so you can already count for the next 3 months where your new seat will be, but it's easy in the alphabet. I should now like to consult members with a view to proceeding to the election of the Vice-President. Vice President of the Assembly at its 81st session. In accordance with Rule 30 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, the Vice President shall be elected after the election of the chairs of the 6 main committees referred to in Rule 98, in such a way as to ensure the representative character of the general committees. It is my understanding that since the elections of the chair of the main committees will conform with paragraph 48 of Resolution 72/313 of September 17, 2018, on the pattern for the rotation of the chairs of the main committees for the 81st session of the Assembly, it will not have an impact on the geographical distribution of the vice presidents of the Assembly and the representatives the deliberative character of the General Committee. May I take it that the Assembly therefore agrees to proceed to elect the Vice Presidents of the Assembly? I hear no objections. It is so decided. In accordance with paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Annex to Resolution 33/138 of December 19, 1978, the 21 Vice Presidents of the Assembly at its 81st session— shall be elected according to the following pattern: 6 representatives from the African states, 4 representatives from the Asia-Pacific states, 1 representative from the Eastern European states, 3 representatives from the Latin American and Caribbean states, 2 representatives from the Western European and other states, and 5 representatives from the permanent members of the Security Council. In accordance with paragraph 16, Article 16 of Decision 34/401, the election of the Vice President of the Assembly by secret ballot will be dispensed with when the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be filled. We shall proceed accordingly. I shall now read the names of the slate of candidates for the African States. Cabo Verde, Egypt, Eritrea, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Zimbabwe. Asia-Pacific states: Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Mongolia. Eastern European states: Poland. Latin American and Caribbean states: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominican Republic, Paraguay. Western European and Other States: Finland and Ireland. Since the number of candidates corresponds to the number of seats to be filled in each region, I declare those candidates elected. In addition to the 5 representatives of the permanent members of the Security Security Council. The following states have therefore been elected to vice-presidencies of the Assembly at its 81st session: Afghanistan, Antigua and Barbuda, Cabo Verde, China, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Eritrea, Finland, France, Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Ireland, Lebanon, Mongolia, Paraguay, Poland, Russian Federation, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, and Zimbabwe. I wish to take this opportunity to congratulate the states that have been elected vice presidents of the Assembly at its 81st session. The Assembly has thus concluded its consideration of Agenda Item 6. I wish to remind members that, as announced in the journal, consecutive meetings of the 6 main committees for the purpose of electing their chairs and bureau for the 81st session of the Assembly will take place immediately following the adjournment of this meeting. After the election of the chairs of the 6 committees, the General Committee of the Assembly for the 81st session will be fully constituted in accordance with Rule 38 of the Rules of Procedure. I thank you all for this morning, and the meeting is adjourned.