Algeria and Sierra Leone have been elected to serve on the UN Security Council for the period of 2024-2025. Alongside them, Guyana and South Korea were also elected unchallenged, while Slovenia secured a seat after beating Belarus in a contested election.
The Security Council consists of 15 members, with five permanent members and ten countries elected for two-year terms, half of which are renewed each year based on geographical distribution rules.
In the General Assembly’s secret ballot vote, Slovenia garnered 153 votes, defeating Belarus with only 38 votes. This outcome highlighted concerns regarding Belarus’ human rights violations and its attempt to cover up Russian atrocities in Ukraine.
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Louis Charbonneau of Human Rights Watch emphasized the significance of competitive UN elections and stated that member states had decided Belarus was unfit to serve on the Security Council, a crucial body for safeguarding human rights.
The other four seats to be filled had single candidates from Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America/Caribbean. Algeria received 184 votes, South Korea 180 votes, Sierra Leone 188 votes, and Guyana 191 votes.
These newly elected countries will replace Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, and the United Arab Emirates on January 1, 2024. They will join the five permanent members of the Council and the five countries elected the previous year.
Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, David Francis, expressed his delight at the country’s election after a 53-year absence from the Council.
He emphasized Sierra Leone’s successful transition from war to peace and vowed to bring his firsthand experience of civil war and divided communities to the Security Council. South Korea and Guyana have previously served on the Council, and this marks Algeria’s fourth term.
