India-backed Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid elected as UNGA President

Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid was elected as President of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly, garnering 143 votes out of the 191 ballots cast. The 193-member General Assembly voted on Monday to elect the President, who will preside over the 76th session of the UN body that will commence in September. In the fray for the election was Shahid as well as former foreign minister of Afghanistan, who got 48 votes.