SUVA, June 14 (Xinhua) -- Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama Tuesday hailed Fiji's election as president of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), calling the presidency "a great honor for Fiji."
In an election held by the UNGA in New York earlier in the day, Peter Thomson, Fiji's permanent representative to the UN beat his sole contender, Cyprus Ambassador Andreas Mavroyiannis, in a close 94 to 90 vote with seven invalid ballots and one abstention, winning the presidency with a simple majority.
"Mr Thomson's selection provides us with a unique platform to highlight those issues of critical concern to Fiji and the vulnerable economies, such as building our resilience to climate change and ensuring the sustainable development of our natural resources on land and at sea," Bainimarama said in a statement.
Thomson, who will replace current General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft, will begin his tenure in September at the commencement of the 71st General Assembly session.
