Five Countries Elected to UN Security Council for 2026-2027 Term

By Chrispus C. Macauley

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Latvia, and Liberia as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council. The newly elected countries will serve two-year terms beginning on 1 January 2026 and continuing through the end of 2027.

These five nations will join the Council’s existing non-permanent members, Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama, and Somalia, who were elected in 2024 and will serve until the end of 2026. The incoming group will replace Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia, whose terms conclude in December 2025.

Council Composition and Election Process

The Security Council is composed of 15 members, including five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with veto power. The remaining ten are elected by the General Assembly for staggered two-year terms, distributed among regional blocs to ensure geographic representation.

This year’s election, conducted by secret ballot, saw participation from 188 of the UN's 193 Member States. To win a seat, candidates needed to secure a two-thirds majority of the votes.

Vote Tally

• Africa and Asia-Pacific Group:

  • Bahrain – 186 votes

  • Democratic Republic of the Congo – 183 votes

  • Liberia – 181 votes

  • (1 abstention recorded)

• Eastern European Group:

  • Latvia – 178 votes

  • (10 abstentions)

• Latin America and the Caribbean Group:

  • Colombia – 180 votes

  • (8 abstentions)

The election required only one round of voting.

Historic First for Latvia

Latvia will join the Security Council for the first time in its history, marking a significant milestone for the Eastern European nation. The other elected members have previously held seats: Colombia has served seven times, the DRC twice, and both Bahrain and Liberia once before.

Regional Rotation

The distribution of non-permanent seats is based on regional groupings:

• Africa and Asia-Pacific: 2 seats (this year, occupied by DRC and Liberia)

• Asia-Pacific: 1 seat (Bahrain)

• Eastern Europe: 1 seat (Latvia)

• Latin America and the Caribbean: 1 seat (Colombia)

Elections for non-permanent seats take place annually to ensure continuity and regional balance in the Council's membership, which plays a vital role in maintaining international peace and security.