Gabon elected vice-president of 81st UN General Assembly session
via Gabon Review2 min read
Gabon has been elected as one of the 21 member states to serve as vice-president for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, which is scheduled to open in New York in September 2026. This election places Gabon in a strategic role for organizing and conducting the work of the UN's main deliberative body, at a time of significant geopolitical and institutional changes. The election occurred on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, following the selection of Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman as president of the 81st session. Rahman secured the presidency with 99 votes against Cypriot Andreas Kakouris's 91 votes in a secret ballot among 190 member states. Alongside Gabon, other vice-presidents include the United States, China, Russia, France, the United Kingdom, and Egypt, reflecting the principle of equitable geographical distribution. As vice-president, Gabon will participate in the General Committee, which is responsible for organizing General Assembly sessions. Their duties include reviewing the provisional agenda, making recommendations on the allocation of items to various committees, and coordinating debates. Vice-presidents may also preside over plenary meetings in the absence of the General Assembly president, lead discussions, and ensure adherence to procedural rules. This responsibility comes at a sensitive international juncture, with the 81st session set to address UN system reform, accelerating Sustainable Development Goals implementation, climate chang
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Gabon Review.
Must ReadGabon's government is reactivating the High Investment Council HCI to strengthen its partnership with the private sector and achieve the ambitious 27 trillion FCFA investment target set by the National Growth and Development Plan PNCD 2026-2030. The HCI's work is scheduled to begin on Thursday, June 4, in Libreville. This initiative follows a recent meeting between the executive and the Federation of Gabonese Enterprises FEG to establish a new dynamic for public-private collaboration. The government aims for the private sector to contribute 18 trillion FCFA, or two-thirds, of the total investment required for the PNCD. The relaunch of the HCI, under the instructions of President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, seeks to address private sector concerns such as administrative controls, legal insecurity, procedural delays, and high logistical costs. Eight joint working groups, comprising public administration and private sector representatives, will examine key themes from June 4 to June 11, including parafiscality, cost of living, legal security, public establishment governance, public procurement, social reforms, strategic sectors, and support for SMEs. The conclusions will be consolidated on June 12 and 13, with a general presentation on June 15 for the formal adoption of selected reforms. The government hopes this move will build trust and attract the private capital necessary for the PNCD's success and Gabon's development ambitions.
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