Germany's former Foreign Minister Baerbock elected UN General Assembly president

Former Foreign Minister of Germany Annalena Baerbock was elected on Monday as president of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, which will begin in September.Baerbock conveyed her gratitude for the "overwhelming support" from the member states for being elected.

Philemon Yang, the current president of General Assembly, "wholeheartedly" congratulated Baerbock over her election.

"I warmly congratulate Her Excellency, Annalena Baerbock on her election as the next president of the United Nations General Assembly. It is fitting that in this milestone 80th year of the General Assembly, leadership should fall to someone whose career has been defined by an unwavering commitment to multilateralism," Yang said.

Arguing that the "challenges of our time are enormous," Yang said Baerbock's "pledge to serve as an honest broker, to listen, to build trust, to foster dialog across different divides, is precisely what this Assembly needs."

"Our priorities align powerfully with the aspirations of our global community," he said, expressing his "full support" to Baerbock.

In her remarks, Baerbock expressed commitment to serving everyone and said "my door will always be open for everyone better together."

"My first key objective will be to support member states to renew, to refocus and to make our organization fit for purpose, fit for the 21st century," she said.

As her second priority, Baerbock emphasized the importance of "the Pact for the Future."

"It is key to further strengthen the role of the General Assembly with regard to peace and security matters in close cooperation with the Security Council and the Peace Building Commission," she said, adding that her third priority "is a United Nations that embraces everyone."

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, for his part, highlighted the ongoing global challenges and stressed that "mistrust and divisions are rife."

"Our institutions and structures still reflect the world of yesterday, not a vision of tomorrow. This is a moment for us to unite, to forge common solutions, and to take action to confront these challenges," Guterres said.

Expressing "full support" to Baerbock, the UN chief hailed her previous government and diplomatic experience.

"And let us not forget the historic significance of her being only the fifth woman to be elected President of the General Assembly," he added.