New Members Poised to Join UN Security Council: Yes, Pakistan, Denmark, Greece, Panama, and Somalia - Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia are expected to secure seats on the UN Security Council following a secret ballot in the General Assembly. The 193-member world body will vote on Thursday to elect five new countries to serve two-year terms on the council.

Voting and Regional Allocation

The Security Council, composed of 15 members, includes 10 non-permanent seats distributed among regional groups. These groups usually agree on their candidates, but this year there were no unexpected disagreements. The five countries elected will begin their terms on January 1, replacing Mozambique, Japan, Ecuador, Malta, and Switzerland, whose terms end on December 31.

New and Continuing Members

The newly elected countries will join the five permanent members with veto power: the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France. They will also join the five non-permanent members elected last year: Algeria, Guyana, South Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia.

Historical Context and Current Challenges

This year's vote contrasts with last year's election, where Slovenia defeated Belarus, reflecting global opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Currently, regional groups have nominated Somalia for an African seat, Pakistan for an Asia-Pacific seat, Panama for a Latin America and Caribbean seat, and Denmark and Greece for two Western seats.

Security Council's Role and Limitations

The UN Security Council is responsible for maintaining international peace and security. However, its effectiveness is often hampered by the veto power of its permanent members. This has been evident in its inability to act on the Ukraine conflict due to Russia's veto and its failure to call for a cessation of hostilities in Gaza due to close U.S. ties with Israel.

Call for Reform

There is widespread agreement that the Security Council needs to be reformed to better reflect the current global landscape, rather than the post-World War II era. However, with 193 member countries each having their own national interests, agreeing on the specifics of the reform has been challenging. Disagreements have stalled significant changes for four decades.

Historical Participation

All five countries expected to win seats have previous experience on the Security Council. Pakistan has served seven times, Panama five times, Denmark four times, Greece twice, and Somalia once.

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