Pakistan secures non-permanent seat on UN Security Council

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan was elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday, securing an overwhelming 182 votes in the 193-member General Assembly.

As per the details, after months of intense campaigning, Pakistan was overwhelmingly elected a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council today, pledging to help tackle major challenges facing the world.

The General Assembly hall erupted in applause when its president, Dennis Francis, announced the winners of the five non-permanent seats: Pakistan, Denmark, Greece, Panama and Somalia. These countries will replace Japan, Ecuador, Malta, Mozambique and Switzerland, whose terms expire on December 31. Francis congratulated the new members on their victory.

Pakistan will take over from Japan, which currently holds the Asian seat, on January 1, 2012 for a two-year term. This will be Pakistan’s eighth term in the council.

Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said Pakistan’s selection “reflects the confidence of the international community in Pakistan’s ability to promote the goals and principles of the United Nations.” He said that Pakistan will work actively with other members of the Council to achieve common goals.

Munir Akram highlighted Pakistan’s goals at the Council, including:

1- Promoting peace and security in South Asia

2- Support the right of the people of Palestine and Kashmir to self-determination.

3- Encouraging normalization in Afghanistan

4- Finding equitable solutions to security challenges in Africa

5- Improving UN peacekeeping missions

Pakistan served on the Council in 2012-13, 2003-04, 1993-94, 1983-84, 1976-77, 1968-69, and 1952-53. It joins the Council at times of major global challenges.

For more than 50 years, Pakistan has been the largest contributor to United Nations peacekeeping missions, currently deploying more than 4,000 troops and personnel worldwide.

The new non-permanent members will join the five permanent members with veto power – the United States, Russia, China, the United Kingdom, and France – and the five countries that were elected as non-permanent members last year: Algeria, Guyana, South Korea. . , Sierra Leone, and Slovenia.