The U.N. General Assembly elects five new members to the Security Council on Thursday and the winners are virtually certain because there are no contested races — Nigeria, Chad, Saudi Arabia, Lithuania and Chile.
Chad, Saudi Arabia and Lithuania have never served on the U.N.’s most powerful body while Nigeria and Chile have both been on the council four times previously.
Security Council seats are highly coveted because they give countries a strong voice in matters dealing with international peace and security, such as Syria, sanctions against Iran and North Korea and the U.N.’s far-flung peacekeeping operations.
The 15-member council includes five permanent members with veto power — the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and France — and 10 nonpermanent members elected for two-year terms.
Seats are allocated by region, and regional groups nominate candidates. There are often hotly contested races. In 2007, for example, a runoff between Guatemala and Venezuela went 47 rounds before Panama was finally offered, and elected, as the Latin America candidate.
This year, there were initially two candidates for a West African seat but Gambia dropped out last week in favor of Nigeria.
To win, each country must obtain support of two-thirds of all General Assembly members present, or a minimum of 129 votes if all 193 members participate.
Because balloting is secret, there is intense lobbying for votes by candidates, even in uncontested races, to ensure they get the minimum number needed for victory.
Winners will assume their posts on Jan. 1 and serve through the end of 2015.
The five winners on Thursday will replace Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo.
Source: UNBConnect
Saudi Arabia said it was declining its UN Security Council rotating seat.
EVERY SELF RESPECTING STATE SHOULD BOYCOTT THE OBSOLETE UNOSC TILL SUCH TIME IT IS REFORMED, LIFE-LONG MEMBERS STATES VETO “RIGHT” ABOLOSHED & DEMOCRATIZED
http://www.worldbulletin.org.18.10.2013.Saudi Arabia said on Friday it was declining its United Nations Security Council rotating seat, citing “double standards” that made it hard for the world body to end conflict and wars.”The kingdom sees that the method and work mechanism and the double standards in the Security Council prevent it from properly shouldering its responsibilities towards world peace,” the foreign ministry said in a statement carried by state news agency SPA.It said it was unable to take its seat until reforms were introduced, but did not specify what reforms it wanted.The Security Council has been divided on how to handle the civil war in Syria, with Western powers pushing for stronger sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad and Russia vetoing resolutions to that end. Saudi Arabia has been backing rebels in that conflict.The United States, Britain, France, Russia and China are permanent members of the Security Council and hold veto powers. Other states are brought onto the body on a rotating basis.