Mexico has won a seat on the United Nations (UN) Security Council, the UN announced on Wednesday.
Mexico was elected unopposed as the representative for Latin America and the Caribbean for the council’s 2021-22 sitting period. It will be the first time that Mexico has had a seat on the 15-member Security Council since the 2009-10 period.
Mask-wearing diplomats representing the UN member countries cast secret ballots at allotted times on Wednesday in the General Assembly hall in New York. A total of 187 member countries supported Mexico’s candidacy to be a non-permanent Security Council member while five nations abstained from the vote.
Even if a country faces no competition for the seat it is contesting, it must still be supported by more than two-thirds of the General Assembly in order to be elected.
Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard welcomed Mexico’s election in a post to Twitter.
“I have the honor to report that Mexico has been elected with 187 votes to be a member of the United Nations Security Council. Great recognition for our country in the whole world. Congratulations!!!!”
The UN announced that India, Ireland and Norway had also been elected as non-permanent council members for two-year terms. India was elected unopposed for the Asian seat while the two European nations beat out Canada for the two western seats that were up for grabs.
A second round of voting will be held Thursday to fill the last vacant seat, with Kenya and Djibouti vying to be the Security Council’s newest African representative.
The council, the United Nations’ most powerful body, is charged with upholding international peace and security. It has five permanent members – the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom and France – and 10 non-permanent members elected by the UN General Assembly for two-year terms.
A seat at the council table gives countries a strong voice on a range of security issues such as international conflicts, terrorism and the threat of nuclear warfare. The council is the only UN body that can make legally binding decisions such as imposing sanctions on countries and authorizing the use of force.
It will be the fifth time that Mexico has had a seat on the council after serving in 1946, 1980-81, 2001-02 and 2009-10.
Source: El Financiero (sp)
