Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen affirmed that Austria, as a newly elected non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, will champion multilateralism based on international law and human rights. Van der Bellen emphasized the importance of strengthening the UN to combat threats posed by power dynamics and self-serving politics. Alongside Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe also secured non-permanent seats on the Security Council.
The incoming members, including Austria, will replace the outgoing non-permanent members and commence their two-year term starting January 1, 2027. To secure a non-permanent seat on the Security Council, a candidate must garner two-thirds support from the UN member states present during the General Assembly session. This year, Austria, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe were elected in the initial round of voting.
Kyrgyzstan emerged victorious after three additional rounds of voting, defeating the Philippines in a contested race for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council. The Security Council, comprising 15 members, with five permanent members and ten non-permanent members, plays a pivotal role in maintaining global peace and security by making binding decisions and enforcing sanctions.
