Merve Aydogan
02 January 2025•Update: 02 January 2025
HAMILTON, Canada
The new non-permanent members of the UN Security Council for the 2025-2026 term have officially assumed their duties on Thursday.
A special ceremony, attended by the council's January term president, Algeria, and the permanent representatives of the new member states, marked the occasion.
The new members -- Somalia, Pakistan, Panama, Greece and Denmark -- are taking seats vacated by Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland, whose terms ended Dec. 31.
Elected by the General Assembly in June, the new members will serve from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2026.
The Security Council consists of 15 countries, including five permanent members: China, France, Russia, Britain and the US.
The permanent members have the right to veto any resolution or decision. The remaining 10 are filled by non-permanent members, with five seats subject to renewal each year.
Geographical distribution determines the allocation of the seats, with two seats assigned to the African Group, one to the Asia-Pacific Group, one to the Latin American and Caribbean Group and one to the Eastern European Group.
To secure a non-permanent seat on the Council, candidates must receive at least two-thirds of votes in the UN General Assembly, equivalent to 129 out of the 193-member body.
During a General Assembly vote in June, Somalia received 179 votes, Pakistan 182, Panama 183, Greece 182, and Denmark 184, meeting the two-thirds vote threshold.
