UNSC Members

New Members Join United Nations Security Council On Tuesday, Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland officially joined the United Nations Security Council as two-year members.

• These countries won their seats unopposed in June and took part in a tradition started by Kazakhstan in 2018 by installing their national flags outside the council chambers alongside the flags of other members.

About the United Nations Security Council

• The U.N. Security Council is made up of 15 members, with five permanent, veto-wielding members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and 10 other members who are elected by the 193-nation General Assembly for staggered, two-year terms and allocated by global regions.
• Winning a council seat is considered a significant diplomatic accomplishment for a country, as it can raise the nation’s global profile and give smaller countries a greater voice in international peace and security issues. The council has the authority to deploy peacekeeping missions, impose sanctions, and address conflicts and flashpoints, as well as issues such as terrorism and arms control.

New Members’ Terms

• This marks the first-ever term on the U.N.’s most powerful body for Mozambique and Switzerland, while it is Malta’s second term and Ecuador’s fourth. Japan holds the record with its 12th term.
• The five new members are replacing India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, and Norway, whose terms ended on December 31. The current two-year members in addition to the new members are Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, and the United Arab Emirates. replacing India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, and Norway, whose terms ended on December 31. The current two-year members in addition to the new members are Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, and the United Arab Emirates.
• Mozambican Ambassador Pedro Afonso Comiss’rio called the occasion “a historic date,” and Swiss Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl said she felt “a deep sense of humility and responsibility” as their countries marked their first-ever terms on the U.N.’s most powerful body.

The United Nations Security Council

• The U.N. Security Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security and is made up of 15 members, 5 of which are permanent, veto-wielding members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States).
• The other 10 members are elected by the 193-nation General Assembly for staggered, two-year terms and allocated by global regions. The council has the authority to deploy peacekeeping missions, impose sanctions, and address conflicts and flashpoints, as well as issues such as terrorism and arms control.

Countries often campaign for a seat on the council for years, and being elected is considered a significant diplomatic accomplishment that can raise a nation’s global profile and give smaller countries a greater voice in international peace and security issues. Some 60 nations have never had a seat on the council since its formation in 1946.