By In a significant development, Somalia has been elected to serve as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term, marking the country’s return to the prestigious body after more than 50 years. The election, held on Thursday, June 6, also saw Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, and Panama secure seats on the council through a secret ballot in the General Assembly.
The 193-member world body elected five countries to fill the 10 non-permanent seats on the 15-member council, allocated to regional groups. Typically, these groups select their candidates without contention; this year was no exception.
The African regional group put Somalia forward, while Pakistan secured the Asia-Pacific seat, Panama the Latin America and Caribbean seat, and Denmark and Greece the two mainly Western seats. The newly elected council members will commence their terms on January 1, replacing Mozambique, Japan, Ecuador, Malta, and Switzerland, whose two-year terms conclude on December 31.
The incoming members will join the five veto-wielding permanent members—the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France—as well as the five countries elected last year: Algeria, Guyana, South Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia.
The Security Council is tasked with maintaining international peace and security. However, due to Russia’s veto power, it has been unable to take action on Ukraine, and because of the United States’ close ties to Israel, it has not called for a cessation of hostilities in Gaza.
All five countries elected on Thursday have previously served on the Security Council, with Pakistan having held a seat seven times, Panama five times, Denmark four times, Greece twice, and Somalia once.
There is a widespread consensus that the Security Council needs to expand and reflect the realities of the 21st century, nearly eight decades after the United Nations was established. However, the central question of how to achieve this reform has been a source of disagreement among the 193 member countries, with national interests often blocking significant changes to the UN’s most powerful body for four decades.
Somalia’s election to the Security Council is a notable achievement for the East African nation, which has been grappling with internal conflicts and instability for many years. The country’s presence on the council is expected to bring a fresh perspective and contribute to the ongoing discussions on global peace and security.
