They will replace Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland, whose terms expire on December 31.
In a secret ballot, the elected countries obtained the required two-thirds majority of the member states present and voting in the 193-member General Assembly.
The new members will join existing non-permanent members Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia, whose terms began on January 1. The five permanent members of the Council, each with veto power, are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Below the UN Charterthe 15 member Security Council has primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, and all Member States are obliged to comply with its decisions.
Regional groups
The ten non-permanent seats on the Security Council are divided among four regional groupings: Africa and Asia; Eastern Europe; Latin America and the Caribbean; and the Western European and other group of states.
This year’s candidates competed for five seats under three regional groupings: two for Africa and Asia-Pacific (one each); one for Latin America and the Caribbean; and two for Western Europe and other states.
The newly elected members were supported by their respective regional groups and remained largely unchallenged.
Vote counting
A total of 190 Member States took part in the elections, which required only one round of voting.
In the African and Asia-Pacific group, Pakistan received 182 votes and Somalia 179 votes, while five countries abstained.
In the Latin America and the Caribbean group, Panama received 183 votes and Argentina one, while six countries abstained.
In the group of Western European and other states, Denmark received 184 votes, Greece 182 votes and Italy and Norway one vote each; two countries abstained from voting.
