On Tuesday, Algeria, Sierra Leone, Guyana, and South Korea secured uncontested election to the UN Security Council for the 2024-2025 term, while Slovenia comfortably defeated Belarus for the only contested seat.

 

The UN Security Council consists of 15 members, with five permanent members (United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom) and ten countries elected for two-year terms, half of which are renewed annually to ensure geographical distribution.

 

During the secret ballot vote in the General Assembly, Slovenia and Belarus competed for the Eastern European seat. Slovenia emerged victorious with 153 votes, while Belarus received 38 votes. The outcome of the vote was seen as a reflection of member states' concerns over Belarus' human rights violations domestically and its attempts to conceal Russian atrocities in Ukraine. Commenting on the result, Louis Charbonneau of Human Rights Watch emphasized the importance of competition in UN elections and highlighted how member states had deemed Belarus unfit for serving on the Security Council, a vital body for protecting human rights.

 

The other four seats, representing Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America/Caribbean, had only one candidate each. Algeria secured 184 votes, South Korea received 180 votes, Sierra Leone obtained 188 votes, and Guyana received 191 votes.

 

These five countries elected on Tuesday will replace Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, and the United Arab Emirates, beginning their term on January 1, 2024. They will join the five permanent members with veto power and the five countries elected last year: Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, and Switzerland.

 

Sierra Leone's Foreign Minister, David Francis, expressed joy at the election, describing it as a significant day for his small, progressive, and confident country. Sierra Leone returns to the Security Council after 53 years, having successfully transitioned from war to peace. Francis emphasized his country's firsthand experience with civil war and divided communities, noting that he would bring his knowledge to the Security Council, particularly regarding the UN's role in deploying major peacekeeping and peace support operations.

 

For South Korea and Guyana, this marks their third term on the Council, while Algeria will serve for the fourth time.