Diplomats practicing social distancing and casting votes
Mexico, India, Ireland and Norway were elected to the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday (June 17), but the 193 U.N. member states must return on Thursday (June 18) to continue voting to fill one more vacant seat after there was no clear winner.
Outgoing United Nations General Assembly President, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, Saying:
"Having obtained the required two thirds majority of members present and voting and the greatest number of votes, India, Ireland, Mexico and Norway are elected members of the Security Council for a two term two-year term beginning on one January 2021.
I congratulate the states that have been elected members of the Security Council."
Canada lost out to Ireland and Norway in a hotly contested election that included Ireland enlisting the help of U2 singer Bono and taking U.N. ambassadors to a U2 concert and Canada taking envoys to a Celine Dion concert.
Mexico and India were elected unopposed. Kenya and Djibouti were competing for the final seat, but there was no clear winner.
The Ballot Boxes
To ensure geographical representation, seats are allocated to regional groups. But even if candidates are running unopposed in their group, they still need to win the support of more than two thirds of the U.N. General Assembly.
The new members will start their two-year term on the 15-member council on Jan. 1. After operating virtually since March amid the coronavirus pandemic, diplomats - wearing masks and social distancing - returned to the General Assembly hall on Wednesday to cast their secret ballots at allotted times.
They also elected - unopposed - Turkish diplomat Volkan Bozkir as the president of the 75th session of the U.N. General Assembly. He will take up the role later this year.
Outgoing United Nations General Assembly President, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, Saying:
"Number of votes obtained. His Excellency, Volkan Bozkir of Turkey, 178. Having obtained the required majority of members present and voting on the greatest number of votes, his Excellency, Mr. Volkan Bozkir of Turkey is elected president of the General Assembly at the 75th session."
Incoming President of the United Nations General Assembly, Volkan Bozkir of Turkey
The Security Council is the only U.N. body that can make legally binding decisions like imposing sanctions and authorizing the use of force. It has five permanent veto-wielding members - the United States, Britain, France, China and Russia.
(c) UNTV
(c) Reuters
Comments