Two African nations secure UN Security Council places

(MENAFN) The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and Liberia have been elected as non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) following a vote at the UN General Assembly in New York.

In a single round of voting on Tuesday, DR Congo received 183 votes and Liberia 181, both exceeding the two-thirds majority required out of the 193-member assembly, according to an official UN statement.

The election filled five non-permanent seats, with Bahrain (186 votes), Latvia (178 votes), and Colombia (180 votes) also winning seats to represent their respective regions.

DR Congo and Liberia will replace Algeria and Sierra Leone, who have served since 2024. The new members, along with their counterparts, will begin their two-year terms in January 2026, serving until the end of 2027.

This election occurs amid ongoing discussions about reforming the Security Council to better reflect modern global realities. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for Africa to be granted a permanent seat on the Council, describing the continent’s current underrepresentation as a “historical injustice.”

The African Union, representing 55 countries, has long advocated for permanent UNSC representation through the C-10 group, which coordinates African positions on Council reforms.

In a speech last August, Guterres highlighted that Africa’s exclusion from permanent membership weakens the UNSC’s credibility, especially since the continent disproportionately suffers from conflicts the Council seeks to resolve.

Russia has also supported this idea, with President Vladimir Putin affirming that a permanent seat for the African Union would recognize the continent’s desire for meaningful participation in global decision-making.

The Security Council consists of 15 members—five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the US, and UK) with veto power, and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms who participate fully but lack veto rights.

DR Congo assumes its seat amid escalating conflict in its eastern regions, where clashes between government forces and the M23 rebel group have intensified since January. Rebel fighters have captured key cities like Goma and Bukavu, with thousands reportedly killed. A recent Human Rights Watch report accused the rebels of executing at least 21 civilians in Goma over two days in February.

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