Turkey's Volkan Bozkır elected as president of UN General Assembly

Duvar English / Anadolu Agency

The UN General Assembly elected on June 17 former Turkish Ambassador Volkan Bozkır to be its president ahead of the 75th General Debate in September. 

In a secret ballot vote, Bozkır received 178 ballots in support as 11 nations abstained.

Volkan was the only candidate running for the position.

"I am thankful to all UN member states, for electing me with an overwhelming majority, as the President of the 75th UN General Assembly," Bozkır said on Twitter. "As we mark the 75th anniversary of the UN, I will guide the efforts to contribute to international peace, in the challenging times we live in."

Bozkır is currently a member of Turkish Parliament from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and head of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee.

He was elected to the Turkish legislature in 2011 following nearly 40 years in the foreign service that included posts in Stuttgart, Germany; Baghdad; New York and Bucharest, Romania.

Bozkır is the first Turkish national to head the General Assembly. He will take office in September and hold the post for one year.

This year he will lead the annual forum as its prepares to convene in some virtual form for the first time in the UN's 75-year history due to the coronavirus pandemic.

World leaders are usually accompanied by large delegations as they convene in New York for the annual meetings, a rare opportunity to rub shoulders with fellow leaders from nations worldwide. 

This year was supposed to be a particularly special gathering with the international body celebrating its 75th anniversary, but with the virus continuing to persist worldwide alternative measures are being adopted.

Current General Assembly President Tijjani Muhammad-Bande told reporters last week, "World leaders cannot come to New York because they cannot come simply as individuals," referring to the large entourages that accompany them.

Muhammad-Bande said he hopes to clarify in the next two weeks how the General Debate will take place.