The International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus, PSEKA, has called on the US government to support Ambassador Andreas Kakouris for the position of President of the United Nations General Assembly.
In a statement signed by PSEKA President Philip Christopher (pictured above), the organisation said it welcomes the decision of the Cyprus Government to nominate Ambassador Andreas Kakouris for the position of President of the General Assembly of the United Nations.
PSEKA noted that the election is expected to be contested between Cyprus and Bangladesh. It stressed that Ambassador Kakouris “has the credentials and the experience to deal with the major issues of the United Nations.”
Referring to Cyprus’ relationship with the United States, PSEKA called on the U.S. Government to support the Cypriot candidacy. “In view of the fact that the Republic of Cyprus is a strong strategic partner of America, we urge that our Government support the candidacy of Ambassador Andreas Kakouris,” the statement said.
The process for electing the President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly is entering its final stretch, with the vote scheduled for Tuesday, 2 June, 2026, at 10:00, in the General Assembly Hall at UN Headquarters in New York, with the candidate of Cyprus among the contenders.
Under the established system of regional rotation, the presidency of the 81st session falls to the Asia-Pacific Group, to which the Republic of Cyprus belongs within the framework of the UN regional groups. The two candidacies submitted to Member States are those of Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman and Cypriot Ambassador Andreas Kakouris.
The Cypriot candidacy was presented by Nicosia at the UN as one in favour of practical multilateralism, restoring trust in the United Nations, and strengthening the role of the General Assembly at a time of acute international crises and institutional pressures.
In the official presentation of his candidacy, Kakouris stressed that the presidency is called upon to guide collective efforts “at a time when trust in multilateralism is being tested.”
During the informal interactive dialogue with Member States at UN Headquarters, convened by the President of the 80th session of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, Andreas Kakouris stressed that the next session would be “critical,” as it will coincide with the process of selecting a new United Nations Secretary-General and the implementation of the “Pact for the Future.” As he said, “the United Nations is our collective home” and there is a responsibility to safeguard it “through practical multilateralism, by rebuilding trust, strengthening effectiveness and ensuring that it works for the benefit of all.”
The contest between Cyprus and Bangladesh is taking place at a time when the General Assembly is called upon to address issues of institutional revitalization, financial pressures, reform implementation, and heightened geopolitical divisions. The President of the 80th session, Annalena Baerbock, has noted that the next session will be “particularly critical,” due to overlapping global challenges and efforts toward institutional reform.
(Source: CNA)
