Belgium secures a seat on the UN security council
Belgium is one of five nations that has been elected to the UN security council. The nation, along with Germany, Indonesia, South Africa, the Dominican Republic will take their seats from 1 January 2019.
La #Belgique 🇧🇪 est élue avec 181 voix au Conseil de sécurité de l'#ONU. Nous sommes très heureux et remercions les États membres de @ONU_FR pour leur précieux soutien. Nous travaillerons au bénéfice de toute la communauté onusienne. #Bâtirleconsensus #Agirpourlapaix🕊️ pic.twitter.com/sEf6HpQv2w
— didier reynders (@dreynders) June 8, 2018
The new countries replace Bolivia, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, Netherlands and Sweden at the end of this year, having each served two-year terms on the 15-member Security Council.
The Security Council has the primary responsibility for international peace and security, with all UN Member States required to comply with Council decisions.
The Council’s ten non-permanent seats are allocated according to a rotation pattern set by the Assembly in 1963 to ensure fair regional representation on the Council. Five come from African and Asian and Pacific States; one from Eastern Europe; two from Latin American States; and two from Western European and Other States.
All countries other than Indonesia ran unopposed from their respective regional groups, as Indonesia secured its place following a run-off with the Maldives for the Asia-Pacific Group seat.
This will be the Dominican Republic’s first time on the Security Council. The other four countries having previously served on the council.
The permanent seats are held by China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
