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Five new countries have been elected unopposed to the UN Security Council. Bahrain, Congo, Liberia, Colombia and Latvia were elected as temporary members of the International Peacekeeping Council. These countries will serve for two years from next January.
A total of 193 members of the Federal General Assembly on Tuesday elected five temporary members for the Security Council through a secret ballot. Bahrain got 186 votes, Congo 183, Liberia 181, Colombia 180 and Latvia 178 votes, according to UN News.
Latvia has reached the Security Council for the first time. The country became independent after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. After the vote, Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze said, "Our historical experience has enabled us to sympathize, understand and cooperate with all regions of the world." We understand the value of freedom.'
Braze said that Latvia will do its best to establish a just and long-term peace in Ukraine. She also committed to reduce suffering in Middle East, Gaza, Africa and other conflict areas of the world.
Bahrain, which represents the Arab nation, has been a member of the Security Council before. Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Jayani, the foreign minister there, reiterated his old commitment to contribute to international peace and security in his second term.
"The foundation of our regional peace and stability is the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict," AP wrote, quoting Jayani. He stressed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the provision of large-scale humanitarian aid, the release of all prisoners kidnapped by Israel on October 7, and the need for both nations to focus on the solution.
According to the Charter of the United Nations, the main responsibility of the Security Council is to ensure international peace and security. However, it is mentioned in AP news that the council has failed in major conflicts such as the ongoing war in Ukraine and Gaza.
Even though the council established in 1945 should be modified according to the current world political reality, the debate has not been successful. Still, there is criticism of the provision that the five permanent members of the Council, namely the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France, have veto rights and the other 10 members are elected from regional groups for two-year terms.
The non-permanent membership of Africa or Latin America and the Caribbean region in the Security Council It has been taken as a major weakness. The five currently elected member states will replace Algeria, Guyana, South Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia in January 2026.
