UNITED NATIONS -- Mogens Lykketoft, speaker of the Danish Parliament was elected president of the 70th annual UN General Assembly by acclimation Monday, succeeding Sam Kutesa who served as president of the 69th annual session.
There was no suspense leading up to the election because he was choice of the Western European and Others Group (WEOG), whose turn it was to nominate an assembly president. The WEOG decision to name him was made behind closed doors by group members. Representatives of the other groups and WEOG welcomed Lykketoft.
He is the first Dane to hold the post and the third Scandinavian for the position, coming behind Norway's Edvard Hambro in 1970 and in 2005, Sweden's Jan Eliasson, now Deputy Secretary General to Ban Ki-moon.
Lykketoft, 69, is scheduled to open the benchmark anniversary session Sept. 15. On Sept. 22 he will preside over the annual General Debate where global leaders will address the world body.
In his opening remarks to the General Assembly Monday, Lykketoft recalled how 55 years ago he visited the UN Association in Copenhagen, Denmark, to collect information about the United Nations and its role in peace making and keeping, disarmament, international cooperation, development and civil rights.
"Today, this hope and these objectives remain as relevant as ever," he said. "We will celebrate the UN's 70th anniversary throughout the session. I aim to organize our work in a way that allows us to reflect on the successes -- but also the shortcomings - in these first 70 years, while also looking to the future."
"The theme of my term as President will therefore be 'The United Nations at 70 -- A New Commitment to Action'," said Lykketoft, who also has held Denmark's foreign and financial ministerial portfolios. He also headed up the Social Democrats party.
Calling the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) a successful guide and framework for causes including joint efforts to reduce poverty, end hunger, bring children to school, he said there is a "final stretch" ahead for member nations to adopt "a universal, people-centered, transformative development agenda that addresses the struggle of our lifetime."
When implemented, Lykketoft said the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to follow the MDGs "will enable us to eradicate extreme poverty while keeping climate change at bay, building resilience, and creating inclusive and sustainable economic growth."
The outgoing president, Sam Kutesa of Uganda, welcomed Lykketoft by citing his previous positions in Copenhagen and pointing out the challenges he faces in his new role.
"The 70th session will be historic," Kutesa said. "We will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, adopt an ambitious and transformative post-2015 development agenda, as well as work towards a universal climate change agreement in December, under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)."
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, before hailing Lykketoft, praised Kutesa's work, adding, "I thank you for your leadership and commitment."
The change in leadership of the world organization's deliberative and most inclusive body -- all 193 members of the United Nations are represented -- maybe an annual event on the UN calendar, "but this year offers an extraordinary opportunity to shape history."
"In 2015, we reach our target date for the Millennium Development Goals -- the largest campaign against poverty in history," he said. "We will hold a Special Summit to adopt our new vision for sustainable development to guide the world for the next 15 years."
Lykketoft is "an accomplished economist with decades of experience in Parliament," the secretary-general said. "As Finance Minister and Foreign Minister, he brings great understanding of the major challenges of our times."
"He has a background of outstanding commitment to development," Ban said. "I commend Denmark for its long record of meeting and surpassing the development assistance target. And I applaud Lykketoft for the fact that when he was finance minister, Denmark dramatically exceeded that target to help even more people struggling against poverty."
The secretary-general said he has had many "in depth" talks with Lykketoft and even visited his old office in Denmark's Parliament.
"Now he will preside over the General Assembly, our 'Parliament of Humanity,'" Ban said, noting the 70th anniversary.
"I count on him to celebrate these milestones with an even stronger commitment to multilateralism, international cooperation and global solidarity," the secretary-general said, calling Lykketoft's theme "inspiring."
"Together, we can act so the United Nations lives up to its historic ambitions for this year and helps secure the long-term future of our world," he said.
After the formal session was over, Lykketoft met briefly with reporters outside the great hall of the assembly where he reiterated a few of his remarks and took a few questions.
One of the first was how to pronounce his name.
"It's complicated," Lykketoft said. Then he slowly pronounced it twice, Lihk-keh'-tuhft.
