81st SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY – Senegal consolidates its place at the heart of multilateral diplomacy: Ambassador Coly Seck was elected Chairman of the Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly at the plenary meeting on 2 June 2026 in New York. As Chairman of the Fourth Committee, Ambassador Seck will sit with the Bureau elected for the 81st session of the Commission. The other members of the Bureau are Vice-Presidents Fahad Mohammad Alajm of Kuwait, Deborah Maria Borg of Malta and Andrei Nicolenco of the Republic of Moldova, as well as Rapporteur Matthew Moxey of the Bahamas.

At the 85th plenary meeting of the 80th session of the General Assembly, Member States elected the officers of the six Main Committees for the 81st session. On that occasion, Ambassador Coly Seck, the Permanent Representative of Senegal to the United Nations, was taken to the chairmanship of the Fourth Committee, a special political and decolonization body.

In an official message, Ambassador Seck expressed his gratitude to Member States for the trust given, affirming his willingness to serve the Organization «to the best of its capabilities». This election gives Senegal a leadership position in a strategic commission, whose work covers major themes: Palestine refugees, Israeli practices in the occupied territories, ionizing radiation, information and international cooperation in outer space.

Senegal as a committed peacekeeping player

The 81st session of the General Assembly, scheduled for September 2026, was crucial. The elected President of the Assembly, Khalilur Rahman of Bangladesh, recalled that the United Nations was being tested by intensified conflict, shrinking humanitarian space, human rights setbacks and financial constraints.

Secretary-General António Guterres pointed out that «the hard work of diplomacy, dialogue and collaboration» remains hopeful, inviting Member States to transform divisions into collective determination. The election of Ambassador Seck is a continuation of Senegal's commitment to the United Nations.

According to the Department of Peace Operations, The country provides more than 3,000 military and police personnel to peacekeeping operations. This active role illustrates Senegal's willingness to contribute to international stability, while strengthening its diplomatic visibility and influence in multilateral forums. By assuming the chairmanship of the Fourth Committee, Senegal confirmed its status as an indispensable partner of multilateralism, bearing the voice of Africa and countries committed to global governance based on peace, justice and cooperation.

Mamadou SY