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Rabat – Morocco will take the first seat in the General Assembly hall during the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), to open in September in New York, following a draw held at UN headquarters.
The selection came through a lottery conducted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres during a plenary meeting, in line with the assembly’s established procedures.Â
While largely symbolic, the position places Morocco at the front of the chamber, a detail that often carries quiet diplomatic significance.
UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric confirmed the outcome shortly after the draw, stating that Morocco’s name had been selected to occupy the first seat for the upcoming session.
During the same meeting, member states elected Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Khalilur Rahman, as President of the 81st session.Â
The Assembly also confirmed a group of countries that will serve as vice-presidents, including the United States, China, France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Egypt, Afghanistan, and Gabon.
The General Assembly remains the only UN body where all 193 member states sit on equal footing, each with one vote. It serves as a platform where global issues, from peace and security to development and governance, enter debate in a multilateral setting.
Beyond debate, the Assembly holds key responsibilities. It appoints the UN Secretary-General upon recommendation from the Security Council, elects non-permanent members of that council, and approves the organization’s budget.
Morocco’s placement at the front row does not change voting power or formal influence, yet it comes at a time when the country continues to assert its diplomatic presence across regional and international arenas. In the careful choreography of UN protocol, even symbolic gestures carry meaning.
