UNITED NATIONS – Web Desk: The United Nations General Assembly has elected Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe to the 15-member UN Security Council for a two-year term beginning January 1, 2027.
According to media reports, Germany, which had lobbied intensely for a seat, finished third with 104 votes, while Portugal received 134 votes and Austria 131. The contest between the Philippines and Kyrgyzstan for the Asia-Pacific group seat lasted four rounds of voting, with Kyrgyzstan ultimately securing the necessary two-thirds majority, gaining its first-ever Security Council seat with 142 votes against 49.
The Security Council is the only UN body that can make legally binding decisions, including imposing sanctions and authorizing the use of force. It has five permanent veto-wielding members: Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States. The remaining 10 members are elected, with five new members joining each year.
