Five new countries have been elected as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. The countries are Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia and Liberia.
According to a report by the news agency Reuters, the United Nations General Assembly elected five countries as non-permanent members of the 15-member Security Council on Tuesday. The countries will serve for two-year terms starting January 1, 2026.
The Security Council is the only UN body that can make legally binding decisions such as imposing sanctions and authorizing the use of force. The organization has five permanent members – the United Kingdom, China, France, Russia and the United States. Each of them has the power to veto.
The other 10 countries of the 15 members are non-permanent. Five of these countries are added every year. Next year, Algeria, Sierra Leone, South Korea, Guyana and Slovenia will be replaced by Bahrain, Congo, Latvia, Liberia and Congo.
Seats are allocated on a regional basis to ensure geographical representation. But candidates must win the support of more than two-thirds of the General Assembly, even if they are unopposed in their group.
Newly elected Bahrain received 186 votes in the General Assembly, Congo 183, Liberia 181, Colombia 180 and Latvia 178.
The General Assembly on Monday elected former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock as president of the 80th session of the 193-member body, Reuters reported. The session will begin in September.
Source: Reuters