Maldivian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid officially has sworn in as the President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The UNGA elected Shahid, with 143 votes out of 191 votes cast, as its President for the 76th session, which runs from September 2021 until September 2022.
Delivering his first remarks as the UNGA president in Dhivehi language, Shahid thanked all the member states for backing the Maldives in the memorable endeavor. Noting the major milestone, the Maldives has achieved in its foreign policy, Shahid said the Maldivian flag is currently flying at its highest peak.
Shahid also spoke of near-universal collective anxiety and hopelessness, not all of which is pandemic-related, saying the narrative must change, and that the UNGA must play an important part. The current moment in history calls for hope above all, saying to demonstrate to the global population that the UNGA is aware of their plight, and is listening and willing to work together to overcome problems to find the courage to push forward, vaccinate the world and spur a greener earth, he added.
The resident is responsible for chairing the UNGA session for the elected term and is also the presiding officer for the duration.
Furthermore, the president represents the whole membership at conferences, other international and regional meetings, and can co-host events with the member states and other partners.