Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has arrived in New York to formally preside the chair of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
Minister Shahid, the president-elect of UNGA, revealed efforts are underway to inaugurate the 76th session of the UNGA on September 14. Meetings will be held with the member states, the secretariat and other stakeholders to prepare, and ensure a smooth transition from the current UNGA session, he added.
The Maldivian foreign minister departed to New York concluding an official trip to Japan. He has already met with representatives from over 35 member states.
Maldives won the presidency of the UNGA at the elections held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on June 7. As such, Shahid, the Maldivian candidate, won the election with 143 votes, out of a total of 191 votes cast. This is the first time the Maldives has presented a candidate for the presidency of the UNGA. The victory meant the Maldives will be the sixth president from a small island developing state, presiding over the UNGA.
The UNGA is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, serving as the main deliberative, policy-making, and representative organisation. The president of the UNGA is responsible for chairing the general assembly for the elected term and is also the presiding officer for the duration.
Furthermore, the UNGA president represents the whole membership at conferences, other international and regional meetings, and can co-host events with member states and other partners.
The Maldives joined the United Nations on September 21, 1965, soon after gaining independence and has since been an active member of the global organisation.