Annalena Baerbock, former German Foreign Minister, was elected President of the UN General Assembly’s 80th session despite strong opposition from Russia.
According to the United Nations statement, Ms. Baerbock received 167 votes following the secret ballot. Write-in candidate Helga Schmid, a former OSCE Secretary-General and career diplomat, also from Germany received seven. Fourteen delegations abstained.
She becomes the first woman from the Western European group to hold the post and the fifth woman overall to lead the General Assembly. The presidency rotates among the world body’s five regional groups.
At 44 years, Ms. Baerbock is also one of the youngest leaders to secure the top job.
The vote for the presidency of the UN General Assembly is typically conducted by acclamation. However, this year Russia, which opposed Annalena Baerbock’s candidacy, requested a secret ballot, according to diplomatic sources cited by AFP.
Baerbock emerged as a candidate only in March, shortly before stepping down as Germany’s foreign minister following the country’s parliamentary elections in February. She replaced diplomat Helga Schmid, whose candidacy for the UN post had been announced the previous year.
Russia objected to the switch, criticizing Baerbock for what it described as “repeated incompetence, extreme bias, and a lack of understanding of basic diplomatic principles.”
“The decision by the authorities in Berlin to push through her candidacy is nothing less than a slap in the face to the world organization and a blatant show of disrespect,” Russian Deputy Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said in May.
Pledge to be an honest broker
In her acceptance speech, President-elect Baerbock acknowledged the current global challenges and pledged to serve as “an honest broker and a unifier” for all 193 Member States, emphasising her theme of “Better Together.”
She outlined three priorities for her presidency: making the Organization more efficient and effective; advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; and making the Assembly a “truly inclusive forum”.
She called for a UN “that embraces everyone. I see the diversity of the General Assembly as our strength. This is the place where all nations come together and where every country has a seat and a voice.”
She also highlighted the importance of promoting gender equality, multilingualism, and engagement with civil society and youth.
UN80 initiative
Ms. Baerbock also touched on the UN80 initiative, which was launched by Secretary-General António Guterres in March.
“The UN80 Initiative should not be a mere cost-cutting exercise,” she said, stressing the need for bold ambition and readiness to take difficult decisions.
“Our common goal is a strong, focused, nimble and fit-for-purpose organization. One that is capable of realising its core objectives – we need a United Nations that delivers on peace, development and justice.”
The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) executive board approved Pakistan’s latest loan review on Monday, unlocking a critical $1.2 billion in finan...
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he would allow Nvidia to ship its H200 chips to approved customers in China and other countries, ...
Lando Norris, fresh off securing his first Formula 1 world championship, has confirmed he will proudly race with the No. 1 on his McLaren in the 2026 ...
Several regions in southern and western Russia issued urgent warnings early Tuesday morning about the potential for drone attacks, prompting temporary...
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to impose a 5% tariff on Mexico, accusing the country of violating a water-sharing treaty....
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that he will meet U.S. President Donald Trump later this month, saying discussions will focus on the second phase of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, regional peace prospects and the future governance of the Strip.
French naval forces opened fire on a swarm of unidentified drones that flew over one of the country’s most sensitive military installations, the Île Longue submarine base in western Brittany, officials confirmed on Friday.
Thousands of students across Germany walked out of classrooms on Friday to protest a newly approved military service law.
Norway plans to buy two additional submarines from Germany and a separate procurement of long-range artillery, the defence ministry said on Friday, at a much higher cost than before partly due to high demand for military equipment.
A coup attempt by a “small group of soldiers” has been foiled in Benin after hours of gunfire struck parts of the economic capital Cotonou, officials said on Sunday.
A delayed local vote in the rural Honduran town of San Antonio de Flores has become a pivotal moment in the country’s tightest presidential contest, with both campaigns watching its results as counting stretches into a second week.
A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck northeastern Japan late on Monday, prompting mass evacuations and tsunami warnings along the coastline.
Lava fountains shot from Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano from dawn to dusk on Saturday, with new footage showing intensifying activity at the north vent.
McLaren’s Lando Norris became Formula One world champion for the first time in Abu Dhabi, edging Max Verstappen to the title by just two points after a tense season finale.
The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) executive board approved Pakistan’s latest loan review on Monday, unlocking a critical $1.2 billion in financial support, ensuring that the country’s ongoing IMF program remains on track.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Monday that he would allow Nvidia to ship its H200 chips to approved customers in China and other countries, under conditions that prioritize national security concerns.
Lando Norris, fresh off securing his first Formula 1 world championship, has confirmed he will proudly race with the No. 1 on his McLaren in the 2026 season.
Several regions in southern and western Russia issued urgent warnings early Tuesday morning about the potential for drone attacks, prompting temporary flight suspensions and airspace closures across multiple areas.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to impose a 5% tariff on Mexico, accusing the country of violating a water-sharing treaty.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment