Germany’s Baerbock Elected President of 80th UN General Assembly
Germany’s former Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, has been elected President of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, set to run from 2025 to 2026.
Baerbock, 44, ran unopposed and becomes the fifth woman to lead the UN’s highest policy-making body in its 80-year history. She previously served as Germany’s Foreign Minister from 2021 until March 2025, when she was nominated for the role by her government.
Her inauguration is scheduled for September 9, just ahead of the UNGA’s annual high-level meetings in New York. She will hold the presidency for one year.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres congratulated Baerbock on her election and highlighted the weighty global challenges awaiting her leadership.
“You assume this role at a difficult and uncertain moment for the multilateral system,” Guterres said, pointing to global conflicts, climate emergencies, deepening poverty, and widespread inequality.
He noted that the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals remain far from being achieved, with aid and development funding under strain and global institutions lagging behind the pace of change.
“This is a moment for unity, for common solutions, and decisive action,” the Secretary-General said. “Your vision, Better Together, is a timely and hopeful call for renewed global cooperation.”
Guterres praised Baerbock’s diplomatic experience and emphasized the historic nature of her election as only the fifth woman to assume the role. He also outlined her stated priorities, which include promoting peace, development, reform, and transparency within the UN system.
The Secretary-General also commended the outgoing President of the 79th session, Philemon Yang of Cameroon, for his leadership and contributions, particularly in advancing the “Summit of the Future” and advocating for Africa’s interests.
Nigeria has held the presidency of the UN General Assembly twice—first with the late Joseph Garba (1989–1990), and more recently with Prof. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande (2019–2020).
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