Foreign Minister and newly elected President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Dr Khalilur Rahman, has pledged to infallibly uphold the UN Charter and strictly conduct the presidency in accordance with the presidential code of ethics.

"I will be the President for all member states," Dr Rahman said. "I will engage all member states in my work, and I will not allow my personal opinions to interfere with my duties as the PGA (President of the General Assembly). I will seek common ground without ignoring our differences."

He made these remarks during a briefing at the UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday (June 2), following his election as the President of the 81st UNGA session.

Funding and Inclusivity
Dr. Rahman urged all member states to contribute to the PGA Trust Fund to support the operations of the President’s office. "I will work with them to ensure adequate, long-term funding for a robust internship program," he added.

"As the UNGA President, I will dedicate myself to fostering trust, rebuilding consensus, and opening spaces for good-faith negotiations that lead to outcomes owned by all," Dr Rahman stated. He also committed to organizing his office in a manner that reflects geographical, gender, and linguistic balance.

A Pivotal Session Ahead
Expressing his gratitude, Dr Rahman said, "Today, the UN member states have elected me as the President of the 81st session of the Assembly. I accept this responsibility with humility and respect."

He noted that the 81st session will be highly consequential, as the Assembly will be called upon to deliberate on UN reforms, preparations for the next generation of the global development agenda, and the transition of UN leadership through the election of the next Secretary-General.

"These critical matters will unfold alongside the urgent global challenges already before us, including climate change, geopolitical tensions, energy insecurity, and a widening development divide," he added.

Six Core Priorities
To address these pressing challenges, the incoming President announced that he would focus on six key priorities outlined in his vision statement:

• Peace, Security, and Justice
• Sustainable Development and Accelerating the SDGs
• Climate Resilience and Environmental Sustainability
• Human Rights, Humanitarian Action, Refugees, and Migrants
• Digital Governance, Artificial Intelligence, Science, and Technology
• Renewed Multilateralism, UN80 Reform, and Inclusive Global Governance