US hails Khalilur's election as UNGA chief

The United States has congratulated Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on his election as President of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly which will begin in September this year.

"Congratulations Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman on your election as President of the 81st United Nations General Assembly," said US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen.

The 81st session will open on September 8, with world leaders gathering two weeks later for the annual high-level debate at UN Headquarters, in New York.

In a secret-ballot election on Tuesday, Dr Khalilur secured 99 votes to Kakouris’s 91. A total of 190 ballots were cast, with no invalid votes or abstentions.