The process to elect the President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly has entered its final stretch, with the vote scheduled for Tuesday, 2 June 2026, at 10:00 am in the General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters in New York. Cyprus is fielding a candidate in the race, with a competing bid submitted by Bangladesh.
Based on the established regional rotation system, the presidency of the 81st Session belongs to the Asia-Pacific Group, which includes the Republic of Cyprus. The two candidacies submitted to the member states are those of the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Khalilur Rahman, and the Cypriot Ambassador, Andreas Kakouris.
Nicosia presented the Cypriot candidacy to the UN as a bid in favour of practical multilateralism, restoring trust in the UN, and strengthening the role of the General Assembly during a period of intense international crises and institutional pressures.
In the official presentation of his candidacy, Kakouris said the presidency is called upon to guide collective efforts “at a time when trust in multilateralism is being tested.”
During an informal interactive dialogue with member states at UN headquarters, convened by the President of the 80th Session of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, Andreas Kakouris said the next session will be “critical” as it will coincide with the selection process for a new UN Secretary-General and the implementation of the “Pact for the Future.” As he said, “the United Nations is our collective home” and there is a responsibility to safeguard it “through practical multilateralism, restoring trust, enhancing efficiency and ensuring that it works for the benefit of all.”
The contest between Cyprus and Bangladesh comes at a time when the General Assembly is called upon to manage issues of institutional revitalisation, financial pressures, the implementation of reforms, and increased geopolitical divisions. The President of the 80th Session, Annalena Baerbock, has pointed out that the next session will be “particularly critical” due to overlapping global challenges and institutional reform efforts.
