Former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, elected president of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), vowed on Monday to follow the call of UN member states to promote the cause of peace and security. Baerbock was elected president of the upcoming 80th session of the UNGA at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday through secret balloting. With 14 member states abstaining, she won 167 votes in favor out of 188 ballots cast, defeating senior German diplomat Helga Schmid. She will take up the new post in September 2025 to succeed current General Assembly President Philemon Yang of Cameroon. In her speech to the General Assembly after her election, Baerbock reiterated her promise to serve all 193 member states as an honest broker and as a unifier. "As president of the General Assembly, I will engage in a trust-based dialogue with all member states," she said. The 80th session of the General Assembly will be a crucial moment for the United Nations, which, as the center of the multilateral system, is under immense pressure, politically and financially, she said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres congratulated Baerbock on her election as the president. He said in his remarks that Baerbock takes up the job at a difficult and uncertain moment for the multilateral system, noting "the historic significance" of Baerbock being only the fifth women to be elected president of the General Assembly. At a press briefing after the election, Baerbock responded to a question from a China Media Group (CMG) reporter on her plan to promote the General Assembly to shoulder its responsibility and take its leading role of advancing the cause of peace and security, which is one of the three pillars of the United Nations. The Pact for the Future, adopted in September 2024, is the UN's master plan for tackling challenges that lie ahead for humanity, with 56 "actions" covering everything from peacekeeping to the potential threats posed by artificial intelligence. The pact underlines the "increasingly complex challenges" to world peace, notably the threat of nuclear war, with the document reiterating the UN's core tenets. Baerbock served as German federal foreign minister between December 2021 and May 2025. She has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2013, and she served as co-chair of the Greens party between 2018 and 2022. Baerbock was born in Hanover on Dec 15, 1980. She holds an undergraduate degree in political science from Hamburg University of Germany and a Master of Laws degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Shotlist: UN Headquarters, New York City - June 2, 2025: 1. Meeting in progress; 2. SOUNDBITE (English) Philemon Yang, president, 79th session of United Nations General Assembly (UNGA): "Having obtained the required majority, Ms. Annalena Baerbock of Germany has been elected president of the General Assembly at the 80th session."; 3. Various of attendees applauding; 4. Various of Annalena Baerbock, president of 80th session of UNGA, delivering speech after election; UN Headquarters, New York City - June 2, 2025 5. SOUNDBITE (English) Annalena Baerbock, president, 80th session of UNGA (ending with shot 6):; "It has a special role in the international order, also for peace and security. And I've heard many, many voices also in my hearings here underlining that, in these times, the General Assembly plays a crucial role for peace and security. And this is why I underlined also in my introduction and the acceptance speech that I will follow this call from member states to work closely with the Security Council and the [UN] Peacebuilding Commission also on peace and security."; FILE: UN Headquarters, New York City - Date Unknown 6. United Nations headquarters; 7. UN flag; UN Headquarters, New York City - June 2, 2025 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Annalena Baerbock, president, 80th session of UNGA: "Peace and security is not an isolated pillar of the United Nations, and we know from the last 80 years that sustainable peace is depending on sustainable development for countries, so this is how I see also the role of the General Assembly, and this is why it was important for me to underline the importance of the SDGs (the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals) in the upcoming year, as it was also highlighted in the Pact for the Future."; FILE: UN Headquarters, New York City - Date Unknown 9. UN headquarter; 10. UN emblem; 11. UN Headquarters, other buildings, river. [Restriction - For news purpose only/No archive/Not for other production use, No access Chinese mainland]