Bangladesh’s UNGA candidate pledges to restore trust in United Nations

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Bangladesh’s candidate for the presidency of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), has unveiled a six-pillar roadmap centred on restoring global trust in the world body.

Speaking at an informal interactive dialogue at the UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, Khalilur shared his vision for the election, drawing on Bangladesh’s extensive experience in multilateralism and peacekeeping.

“Restoring trust therefore is the core of my vision. Working with member states, I envision addressing these challenges along six pillars of actions,” Khalilur said.

The candidate’s first pillar focuses on global peace and security.

He pledged to draw inspiration from the 200,000 Bangladeshi peacekeepers who have served globally to champion a holistic approach to peacebuilding that prioritises prevention and political solutions.

Secondly, he aims to bridge the gap between "promise and delivery" regarding the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Warning against a "lost decade of development", he vowed to protect vulnerable nations from the ongoing global energy and financial crises.

Climate action forms the third pillar, where Khalilur promised to support the operationalisation of the loss and damage fund and advocate for the conservation of marine and terrestrial biodiversity.

The fourth pillar centres on human rights and humanitarian space.

He highlighted the plight of refugees and displaced communities -- mentioning Bangladesh’s experience sheltering 1.2 million Rohingya -- and pledged to promote synergy within UN human rights mechanisms.

Addressing the inevitability of the digital age, the fifth pillar focuses on emerging technologies.

“The question is not whether we will use this technology, we will. But how we will govern them wisely and fairly and make them available equitably,” he said, referring to artificial intelligence (AI) and big data.

Finally, his sixth pillar calls for the reform of the United Nations itself to ensure the organisation remains fit for purpose in its ninth decade.

Seeking the support of member states, Khalilur emphasised his three decades of experience within the UN system, having participated in 16 General Assembly sessions.

He assured the assembly that, if elected, he would remain neutral and inclusive.

“If elected, I will be everyone's president, full-time president. I will unfailingly uphold the UN charter. I will engage all member states and pay attention especially to small delegations,” he said.

He concluded his pitch by affirming his readiness for the role: “I'm able, willing and ready to serve as your president from day one. I ask for your trust and support.”

According to information on the United Nations website, the election for the president of the 81st session of the General Assembly will be held on Jun 2.

Under the established regional rotation system, the presidency for this session is slated to come from the Asia-Pacific Group.

The Muhammad Yunus-led interim government had originally nominated the then-foreign affairs advisor Touhid Hossain for this election.

Although Bangladesh had initially paused its candidacy due to a Palestinian candidate being in the race, it did not withdraw.

Following Palestine's subsequent withdrawal, Bangladesh's candidacy was reinstated.

The new government nominated Khalilur as Bangladesh's candidate, replacing Touhid.

Khalilur’s opponent for the presidency is Andreas S Kakouris, a special envoy of the foreign minister of Cyprus.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has pledged its support for Bangladesh’s candidacy.

The foreign minister has also travelled to New York via Turkey to campaign for the position.