President of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (PGA) Abdulla Shahid has arrived in the Maldives on an official visit.
The PGA was received at the Velana International Airport by Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom, Chief of Staff of the President's Office Ali Zahir, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel, and Foreign Secretary Abdul Gafoor Mohamed.
President Solih extended the invitation to Shahid to visit the Maldives in his official role as the PGA during his visit to New York last month to participate in the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
PGA Shahid, who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, won the presidency of the UNGA at the election held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on June 7. Shahid won the election with 143 votes out of a total of 191 votes cast. It was also the first time the Maldives has presented a candidate for the presidency of the UNGA. The victory meant the Maldives is the sixth president from a small island developing state presiding over the UNGA.
The UNGA is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, serving as the main deliberative, policy-making, and representative organisation. The PGA is responsible for chairing the general assembly for the elected term and is also the presiding officer for the duration.