Ghana joins UN Security Council

ACCRA, Ghana

Ghana has been admitted to the UN Security Council, confirming the West African country’s return to the group after 15 years.

Ghana’s membership was marked on Jan. 4 as it participated in a flag ceremony along with other new members, including Albania, Brazil, Gabon, and the UAE.

Ghana will serve on the council from Jan. 1, 2022 to December 2023.

This will be the third time Ghana will hold a non-permanent seat on the council which leads the UN’s peace agenda for the security of member countries.

Ghana was first given the opportunity to serve on the council in the 1960s and was back for the period of January 2006-December 2007.

At the ceremony that took place at the Media Stakeout Area of the Security Council, Permanent Representative of Ghana to the UN, Ambassador Harold Agyeman said: “Ghana will seek to work with other council members to promote international peace and security, including through effective peacekeeping, in order to achieve the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).”

Africa, he stressed, will be Ghana's first priority.

The 15-member council is the most powerful body of the UN and is made up of 10 seats for temporary members and five permanent members -- China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US -- that have veto power.

The other 10 members are elected by the 193-member General Assembly for a two-year term and are allocated by the global region.

Ghana in June 2021 secured 185 out of 190 votes cast.