Middle-east Arab News Opinion | Asharq Al-awsat

Kuwait Wins Seat as Arab World Representative at UN Security Council | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
Select Page
Media ID: 55367484
Caption:

Members of the United Nations Security Council at the UN headquarters on Friday, Dec. 23, 2016. AP


New York, Kuwait- The United Nations General Assembly elected Kuwait, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Peru and Poland to the UN Security Council on Friday for a two-year term beginning next year.

The Netherlands was also elected for a one-year term after reaching a deal with Italy last year to split a two-year term.

Kuwait, which will replace Egypt in the seat representing the Arab world, received 188 votes out of the 193-member General Assembly.

To ensure geographical representation on the Council, there are five seats apportioned for African and Asian states; one for Eastern European states; two for the Latin American and Caribbean states and two for Western European and other states.

The elected countries — all of which were put forward by their regional grouping — will begin their term on January 1, 2018.

Kuwait First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah led the Kuwaiti delegation during the voting process.

During the membership campaign that it launched in 2016, Kuwait pledged to adopt balanced policies in dealing with the issues on the agenda of the Security Council.

Kuwait, which joined the United Nations in 1963, had been elected only once as a non-permanent Security Council member in 1978-1979.

In its first reaction after winning the seat, the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) said the State of Kuwait will follow up on the implementation of Security Council decisions on conflict resolution in the region.

It also said it was looking forward to representing its regional grouping and to refer its concerns to the Security Council in order to contribute to security and stability at the regional and international levels.

The Security Council is made up of 10 non-permanent members elected to two-year terms and five permanent powers: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

The Council is considered to be the only UN body that can issue binding resolutions.