UN Security Council welcomes newest member states

Ecuador, Japan, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland were formally welcomed into the UN Security Council on January 3 for their two-year seats which they were granted unopposed in June 2022.

As the AP reported, Mozambican Ambassador Pedro Afonso Comissário of Mozambique called it “a historic date” and Swiss Ambassador Pascale Baeriswyl said she felt “a deep sense of humility and responsibility” as their countries marked their first-ever terms on UN’s most powerful body. In the meanwhile, it is a second round for Malta while Ecuador joins the council for a  fourth time and Japan a record 12th.

China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are the permanent members and each own veto power. The council's 10 other members are elected by the 193-nation General Assembly for staggered, two-year terms and are allocated by global regions.