By REUTERS
UNITED NATIONS: The UN General Assembly on Wednesday elected as its next president veteran Qatari diplomat Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, who UN diplomats say is unlikely to cause trouble for Western powers.
Nasser, who has been Qatar’s ambassador to the United Nations since 1998, will replace Joseph Deiss of Switzerland. Previously Qatar’s envoy to Canada, Brazil, Cuba and other countries, he will take over the UN job in mid-September.
Nasser told the the 192-nation General Assembly after his unanimous election that he would act as a bridge between developed, developing and least-developed nations.
He added that he would focus on “building consensus on major global challenges facing the world today.” He said those included armed conflicts, climate change, tackling the financial crisis, poverty and responding to natural disasters.
The post of president of the General Assembly has little real power but a high profile in chairing the annual September gathering of world leaders in New York. He or she also represents the assembly on foreign tours.
UN diplomats say Nasser is a competent diplomat who will likely follow in the footsteps of Deiss, who has not ruffled Western feathers the way his two predecessors did.
The picture shows Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser with a previous Presidents Kofi Annan.
Categories: Asia, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates
lets wait and see how the Qatari diplomat will open the first session of the UN General Assembly. Sir Mohammed Zafrullah Khan, President of the UN General Assemply 1963, opened the session with a recitation of the Holy Quran, the first time this happened in the UN General Assembly. Let’s hope Mr. Al-Nasser will copy Sir Mohammed Zafrullah Khan…
I second your idea. Additionally, when Dr. Abdus Salam received his Nobel prize in physics, he did not fail to bring out 2-3 verses of the Holy Quran from Sura Mulk, talking about the beauty and elegance of God’s creation.
I suppose you wanted to say ‘did not fail’…
Yes, I corrected the original comment as well.