MVR 4.35 million allocated for Shahid’s campaign for presidency of 76th UNGA

The government has allocated MVR 4.35 million in the proposed state budget for the upcoming year, for the campaign to elect Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid as the President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer presented the proposed state budget of MVR 34.79 billion for the coming year to the Parliament on Monday. It includes an allocation for Maldives’ campaign for presidency of UNGA.

MVR 4.35 million has been allocated in the 2021 budget for the campaign, and the government plans on allocating an additional MVR 6.53 million for the campaign in the 2022 budget.

The President of UNGA is elected through an annual vote taken among UN member states. The candidates are elected from one of five geographical regions each year; Africa, Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin American and the Caribbean, and Western Europe.

Volkan Bozkır from Turkey was elected the President of the 75th UNGA on June 17, as a representative of the Western Europe region.

The slot for the 76th UNGA is open for representatives from the Asia Pacific region, and Maldives has confirmed that Foreign Minister Shahid will be running in the elections.

Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla, who is on a two-day official visit to Maldives, announced India’s support to elect Shahid on Monday.

The President of UNGA will chair over the general assembly, as well as emergency and special meetings.