Somalia is set to join the United Nations Security Council as a non-permanent member for the 2024-2025 term. The vote will take place on June 6 during the 78th session of the UN General Assembly.
Somalia is running unopposed for the seat representing African countries. Other countries competing for seats are Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, and Panama. All these countries have been on the Council before, with Pakistan having served seven times, Panama five times, Denmark four times, and Greece twice.
This will be Somalia’s second time on the Security Council, having previously served from 1971 to 1972. The African Union has strongly supported Somalia’s candidacy. At a meeting in February 2024, the African Union chose Somalia as its only candidate, leading other contenders like Mauritius and Madagascar to withdraw.
Somalia’s campaign focuses on preventing conflicts, promoting sustainable development, and providing humanitarian aid. Somalia also aims to advance the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) and Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) agendas, which emphasize the involvement of civil society.
Somalia’s memberships in both the League of Arab States and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation help it play a key role in regional conflicts. The country wants to use these connections to encourage dialogue among different groups.
During its last term on the Security Council, Somalia supported global decolonization efforts and led a historic high-level meeting in Addis Ababa, the first of its kind in Africa. Somalia plans to push for better cooperation between the UN and the African Union and to support funding for African Union peace operations.
Even for uncontested seats, a formal vote is required. Somalia needs a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly vote, which means at least 129 votes if all 193 UN member states participate. The election will fill five seats on the Security Council: one for Africa, one for Asia-Pacific, one for Latin America and the Caribbean, and two for Western Europe and others. The new members will start their terms on January 1, 2025, and serve until December 31, 2026.
The UN Security Council has 15 members, including five permanent members and ten non-permanent members who serve for two years. The Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, making decisions on sanctions, military action, and peacekeeping missions.
