Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid takes office as the President of the United Nation's General Assembly's (UNGA) 76th session on Tuesday.

In the ceremony held in New York City's UN Headquarters, Minister Shahid took the oath. He was elected as the President on July 7 this year.

Abdulla Shahid opened the new 76th session, noting that Maldives flag is “flying at the highest peak today”. 

He spoke of near-universal “collective anxiety” and hopelessness, not all of which is pandemic-related, saying: “the narrative must change”, and that the General Assembly “must play a part in this”.

This moment in history calls for hope above all, he said, to demonstrate to the global population that “we are aware of their plight…are listening…and are willing to work together to overcome problems”. 

And that we can find the courage to “push forward”, “vaccinate the world” and spur a greener, more inclusive, pandemic recovery.

In a statement he shortly later made in Dhivehi, he thanked everyone for entrusting him with such a responsibility.

Shahid left for New York on August 29, to take office.

He ran against former Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Dr. Zalmai Rassoul. Shahid won the election with 143 votes while Afghanistan received 48 votes.