The U.N. General Assembly elected Libya's Minister of African Union Affairs as its next president on Wednesday. 

The current president of the 192-member U.N. General Assembly, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann of Nicaragua, made the announcement. "I therefore declare his excellency, Dr. Ali Abdussalam Treki of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, elected by acclamation, president of the General Assembly for the 64th session," he said.

Seventy-one year old Ali Abdussalam Treki will take office in September when the 64th session of the body meets for its general debate.

The presidency is held on a rotating regional basis. The current president was the candidate of the Latin America and Caribbean Group.  This year, it was the African Regional Group's turn to choose a candidate from among their members.  Candidates traditionally are put forward unopposed.

President-elect Treki is no stranger to the United Nations, having served three times as his country's U.N. ambassador.  Currently, he is Libya's Minister of African Union Affairs.  Libya also holds the rotating presidency of that organization.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon noted Mr. Treki's diverse professional experience. "This wide-ranging diplomatic experience will be invaluable as he presides over the General Assembly.  From climate change to hunger, from the economic crisis to the urgent need to reach the Millennium Development Goals, the Assembly will be challenged to forge new levels of international cooperation to solve our common problems," he said.

Mr. Treki says priority issues at the United Nations will get his full attention and he pledged an even-handed approach to all nations.