United Nations elects five new Security Council members

UN member nations have elected five countries to join the powerful UN Security Council with no suspense or drama because all were unopposed — Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland. 

General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid announced the results of the secret-ballot vote and congratulated the winners on Thursday.

It will be Mozambique and Switzerland’s first time serving on the council, Japan’s 12th time, Ecuador’s third and Malta’s second.

Switzerland’s President Ignazio Cassi called the election “a very important day” for the country, coming 20 years after it joined the United Nations.

“We want to be part of the solutions for this world,” he told reporters after the vote.

Japan’s vice foreign minister, Odawara Kiyoshi, said his country will do its best “to make this United Nations working as a whole.” 

He said Japan’s priorities for the Security Council are “to work effectively,” focus on implementation and “human security including energy and food,” and also make efforts to address the situation in North Korea.

The results of the secret ballot vote in the 193-member General Assembly on Thursday were Ecuador 190, Japan 184, Malta 185, Mozambique 192, and Switzerland 187.

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Ukraine is the top agenda

Winning a seat on the 15-member Security Council is considered a pinnacle of achievement for many countries because it gives them a strong voice on issues of international peace and security.

Today, the Ukraine conflict is at the top of the list. Although Russia’s veto power has prevented the council from taking action, it has held numerous meetings since Moscow’s February 24 offensive.

But many other conflicts are also on its agenda from Syria and Yemen to Mali and Myanmar as well as international security issues from the nuclear threat posed by North Korea and Iran, and attacks by groups such as the Daesh and Al Qaeda.

The new council members will join the five veto-wielding permanent members of the council: the United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom and France.

In addition they will join the five countries elected last year: Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and United Arab Emirates.

The 10 non-permanent seats on the council are allotted to regional groups, who usually select candidates, but sometimes cannot agree on an uncontested slate.

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