The election for the President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) will be held on Monday at 10am (New York time) in the General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters.
The result is expected to be announced after 8pm on Tuesday, once voting concludes, officials said.
The election will take place under Rule 30 of the UNGA Rules of Procedure.
In line with the established regional rotation system, the presidency for the 81st session will be elected from the Asia-Pacific Group.
Bangladesh and Cyprus are competing for the post.
A diplomat told UNB that while Bangladesh’s candidate, Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, is widely seen as a strong contender, the outcome will depend on how geopolitical interests align in the final phase of the campaign.
He added that the final moments before the vote could prove decisive.
Bangladesh last held the post in 1986–87, when then foreign minister Humayun Rasheed Chowdhury served as President of the 41st UNGA session.
The country is now seeking to regain the position after nearly four decades.
The 81st UNGA session will open on September 8, 2026, while the high-level General Debate will begin on September 22.
Cyprus candidate Ambassador Andreas S Kakouris brings over 40 years of experience in multilateral and bilateral diplomacy, both at headquarters and in the field.
The UNGA presidency rotates annually among five regional groups: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Western Europe and Others.
The President is elected directly by UN member states, with each country casting one vote.
On June 2, 2025, former German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock was elected President of the 80th session of the UNGA.
She received 167 votes in a secret ballot, while 14 delegations abstained.
