The United Nations General Assembly will meet today to elect five non-permanent members of the Security Council, as Pakistan and other contenders for world powerhouses step up lobbying for the seat.
Those selected will serve a two-year term from January 1, 2025 to the end of 2026. 31 Japan, Ecuador, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland will end on December 31.
According to the UN Charter, the main responsibility of the Security Council is to maintain international peace and security.
Pakistan, a seven-term candidate supported by 53 members of the Asian contingent, did not participate in the competition. This year, the Asian seat was vacated by Japan.
Pakistan’s previous terms in the Council were in 2012-13, 2003-04, 1993-94, 1983-84, 1976-77, 1968-69 and 1952-53.
The Security Council consists of 15 countries, five of which – China, France, Russia, Great Britain, and the United States – are permanent members, giving them the power of veto on any decision or resolution.
10 non-permanent members are selected based on the geographical distribution of the General Assembly and the region, which includes all 193 UN member states.
Voting is by ballot, and candidates must receive a two-thirds majority, or 128 votes, even if unopposed.
If a candidate falls short of the target, a ballot is repeated until the required number of votes is reached. If a deadlock occurs, candidates are brought to an agreement.
The Pakistani delegation led by Ambassador Munir Akram, in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pakistani embassies around the world, has been working hard for months and seems confident of victory.
If elected, Pakistan pledges to devote all its efforts to maintaining international peace and security and the peaceful settlement of conflicts and disputes in accordance with the principles and goals of the United Nations Charter.
Elsewhere, Somalia and Mauritius are vying for the African seat, while Denmark and Greece are competing for the Western European seat. Panama is the only candidate for the seat in Latin America.
