Somalia to Join UN Security Council in Landmark Move

NEW YORK – Somalia is primed to secure a coveted spot as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, signaling a crucial step forward for a nation that has been grappling with turmoil and political strife for three decades.

Leading the charge is Ahmed Fiqi, Somalia’s Foreign Affairs minister, who spearheads the delegation presently in New York, overseeing the crucial voting proceedings. This pursuit has been on Somalia’s agenda since Kenya’s accession to the Council two years ago.

Commencing January 2025, Somalia will hold this influential seat for two years, sharing the stage with Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, and Panama. All these nations, including Somalia back in the ’70s, have previously been part of the Council.

The newcomers will step into the shoes of Mozambique, Switzerland, Malta, Japan, and Ecuador. The 15-member council comprises 10 non-permanent seats, typically distributed among regional groups which sometimes struggle to choose representatives, though this year saw no such squabbles.

Back in 2023, Slovenia had bested Belarus—a staunch Russian ally—in the eastern European clampdown, a contest overshadowed by Russia’s unlawful incursion into Ukraine. For the last couple of years, Russia has been at odds with several Western nations.

This round sees Somalia proposed for Africa, Pakistan tagged for Asia-Pacific, Panama designated for Latin America and the Caribbean, with Denmark and Greece earmarked for predominantly Western representations.

These nations, along with the five permanent members—the US, Russia, China, the UK, and France—will collaborate with the five countries elected last year: Algeria, Guyana, South Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia.

Currently, Somalia is in a fierce battle against Al-Shabaab and IS-Somalia militants who have sown chaos across the land, aiming to dethrone the tenuous UN-backed federal government.

Pundits anticipate that Somalia’s position on the Security Council could be pivotal in crafting robust anti-terrorism policies vital for its stabilization efforts. There’s a prevailing hope that Al-Shabaab’s grip will be significantly weakened by the close of 2024.

AXADLETM