Mozambique replaces Kenya as non-permanent member of UN SC

Mozambique, Ecuador, Japan, Malta and Switzerland received a formal welcome as non-permanent members into the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday, January 3, taking the two-year seats they won unopposed in June last year.

Mozambique replaced Kenya as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 1 January, having been elected in June 2023 by 192 votes.

Mozambican president Filipe Nyusi has called in the past for two permanent positions for Africa in the Security Council. As the country has faced extremist violence in the oil and gas-rich northern province of Cabo Delgado since 2017, the fight against terrorism is high on the agenda for the Mozambican president.

Since Mozambique and Switzerland marked their first-ever terms on UN’s most powerful body, Mozambican Ambassador to the UN, Pedro Comissário Afonso, called it “a historic date”.

To many countries, winning a council seat is considered a signature diplomatic accomplishment that can raise a nation’s global profile and afford small countries a bigger voice than they might otherwise have in the major international peace and security issues of the day.

The five new comers are replacing India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico and Norway. The other current two-year members are Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and United Arab Emirates.