NEW YORK- The five new non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, whose structure has been constantly criticized and whose structure has been constantly called for reform, were determined in the elections held at the UN General Assembly.
76. UN General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid announced that Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland were elected to the new non-permanent members of the UN Security Council in the voting made with the participation of 192 member states. Five countries elected as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council will serve in the UN’s most powerful body responsible for maintaining global peace and security from January 2023.
They won the election easily
Five countries, Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland, which had previously announced their temporary candidacy for the UN Security Council from different regional categories, won the elections comfortably.
In the voting held at the UN General Assembly, in the Africa and Asia-Pacific group, Mozambique received 192 votes and was elected as a temporary member of the Security Council for the first time. In this group, Japan received 184 votes and Mongolia three votes.
The two countries abstained from the vote for Ecuador, the only candidate in the Latin America and Caribbean region. Ecuador received the votes of 190 of its member states.
In the European region, Switzerland, which will take part in the council for the first time, received 187 votes and Malta received 185 votes.
Switzerland will also just join the Council. The country abstained with 187 votes and Malta with 185 votes.
The five newly elected non-permanent members of the UN Security Council will replace India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico and Norway, whose terms expire at the end of this year. The five newly elected members will work alongside Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland, the other non-permanent members Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates, permanent members China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The new members’ goals in the UN Security Council
High-level officials of the five new UN Security Council member countries, including the President of Switzerland, participated in the voting at the General Assembly and thanked the member states at the press conferences they held after the election results were announced, and expressed their views on how they would contribute to the council.
Swiss President Ignazio Cassis said that they will contribute in good faith to peace, stability, development and the solution of problems in the world.
In a statement after the vote, Japanese Foreign Minister Odawara Kiyoshi stated that they wish to work with UN member states and UN Security Council member states as a whole, and that they will make joint efforts on all issues, including the situation of North Korea.
Maltese Foreign Minister Ian Borg stated that they want to lead especially in the inclusion of women in the peace and security processes and protect children from armed conflicts, and they will focus on many issues such as women, peace and security, climate change, peacebuilding, literacy.
Mozambique Foreign Minister Veronica Nataniel Macamo Dlhovo said their focus is to strengthen multilateralism, lasting dialogue and peaceful resolution to achieve sustainable peace, and to combat security threats, including terrorism, violence, maritime piracy, drug trafficking and human trafficking.