The U.N. General Assembly has elected a veteran diplomat from Qatar to serve as its next president.

Nassir Abdulaziz al-Nasser was elected Wednesday to take over the rotating presidency when the General Assembly begins its next session in September.

Al-Nasser said he will act as a bridge between developed and developing nations, and will focus on building consensus on global issues including armed conflict, poverty and climate change.

He has been Qatar's ambassador to the United Nations since 1988, and was nominated by a group of Asian and Middle Eastern nations whose turn it was to select the president.

Al-Nasser will take over the job from Switzerland's Joseph Deiss.