UN General Assembly elects five new non‑permanent Security Council members

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday elected five non‑permanent members to the Security Council for the 2027‑2028 term. Austria, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, Zimbabwe, and Kyrgyzstan won the seats, receiving 131, 134, 181, 182, and 142 votes respectively. They will replace Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia.

Kyrgyzstan’s first term

Kyrgyzstan and the Philippines competed for the Asia‑Pacific Group’s single seat. After neither secured the required two‑thirds majority in the first two rounds, Kyrgyzstan won the third round with 142 votes against the Philippines’ 49. Kyrgyzstan will serve as a non‑permanent member for the first time in its history. Austria and Portugal have each previously served three terms on the Council, Zimbabwe two terms, and Trinidad and Tobago one.

Regional distribution

The Security Council has five permanent members (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US) and 10 non‑permanent members elected for two‑year terms. Elections follow geographical distribution: two seats for the African Group, one for Asia‑Pacific, one for Latin America and the Caribbean, and one for Eastern Europe. Candidates require a two‑thirds majority of UN member states (128 votes) to be elected.