The Republic of Cyprus and Bangladesh are vying for the post of President of the UN General Assembly

On Tuesday, June 2, 2026, elections for the President of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly will be held at UN Headquarters in New York. Under the established principle of rotation, this time the vacant post should be filled by a representative of the Asia-Pacific regional group. After Palestine withdrew its candidacy, two states remained in the final race for the influential position — the Republic of Cyprus and Bangladesh.

The candidate from the Republic of Cyprus is experienced diplomat Andreas Kakouris, whose diplomatic service spans more than 40 years. During the preliminary hearings, he presented his vision for the post, placing emphasis on defending the interests of small island states and strengthening the role of the General Assembly in addressing global crises. Kakouris stressed that Cyprus has never before headed this UN body. His opponent is Bangladesh’s representative, former foreign minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman, who has more than 30 years of experience working within the structures of the United Nations. The outcome of the vote remains uncertain, and international observers are closely following the final stage of the elections.