11 Jun Somalia secures historic seat on UN Security Council

Somalia achieved a landmark victory by securing a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.

This marks the first time since the 1970s that Somalia will hold this prestigious position.

Securing a seat on the Security Council requires substantial support and a country must obtain backing from at least two-thirds of the voting General Assembly delegations.

Somalia, elected alongside Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, and Panama, will serve a two-year term starting January next year.

The nation secured the seat allocated to the East Africa region without opposition, garnering 179 votes in a secret ballot within the 193-member General Assembly.

Following the vote, Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmed Fiqi, who led a delegation of Somali officials to New York, stated that his country was prepared to assume “its position on the global stage”.

“We stand ready to play a vital role in promoting peace and security in the world.”

James Swan, the UN Secretary-General’s acting special representative for Somalia, emphasised that Somalia’s experiences place it in a unique position to contribute to the Security Council’s discussions on international peace and security.

He said: “Somalia has come a long way over the past three decades on its path to peace, prosperity, and security.”