The Maldives has been elected to serve as one of the Vice Presidents of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), scheduled to begin in September 2025, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
The vote took place earlier in the day in New York, where the Maldives secured one of five Vice Presidential seats allocated to the Asia-Pacific Group, alongside Bangladesh, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Timor-Leste.
The Foreign Ministry said the development held added significance as it coincides with “the anniversary of 60 years of Maldives membership to the United Nations, which will be celebrated on 21 September 2025”.
As Vice President, the Maldives will help preside over plenary meetings and support the President of the General Assembly (PGA). “The Vice Presidents of the General Assembly are entrusted to carry out the function of the President… when the PGA is absent or indisposed,” the ministry noted.
The post gives the Maldives an opportunity to “strengthen its leadership credentials within the UN”, the ministry added.
A total of 21 Vice Presidents are elected to the UNGA each session, with regional representation distributed among Africa (six), Asia-Pacific (five), Latin America and the Caribbean (two), Western Europe and Others (two), Eastern Europe (one), and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France.