Research Report Security Council Elections 2021 Kelly Craft, Permanent Introduction: The 2021 Elections Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, casts her vote during the 2020 elections in the General Assembly Hall. On 11 June, the 75th session of the UN General Group (GRULAC, currently held by Saint UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe Assembly is scheduled to hold elections for the Vincent and the Grenadines); and Security Council. The five seats available for elec- • one seat for the Eastern European Group (cur- tion in 2021, according to the regular distribution rently held by Estonia). among regions, will be as follows: The Western European and Others Group 2021, No. #1 • two seats for the African Group (currently held (WEOG) is not contesting any seats this year, as 2 June 2021 by Niger and Tunisia); its two seats, held by Ireland and Norway through This report is available online at securitycouncilreport.org. • one seat for the Group of Asia and the Pacific 2022, come up for election every other year. The Small Island Developing States (Asia-Pacific five new members elected this year will take up For daily insights by SCR on evolving Security Council actions please Group) (currently held by Viet Nam); their seats on 1 January 2022 and will serve until subscribe to our “What’s In Blue” • one seat for the Latin American and Caribbean 31 December 2023. series at securitycouncilreport.org or follow @SCRtweets on Twitter. Security Council Report Research Report June 2021 securitycouncilreport.org 1 1 Introduction: The 2021 Elections The 2021 Candidates 2 The 2021 Candidates 5 Potential Council Dynamics in Six member states—Albania, Brazil, the last contested election in the African Group 2022 Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), was in 2011, when three candidates (Maurita- 6 The Process of Election Gabon, Ghana, and the United Arab Emir- nia, Morocco and Togo) ran for the two seats 6 Regional Groups and Established ates—are currently running for the five allotted to the Group. In 2013, Nigeria and Practices available seats. Five out of the six candi- The Gambia were contesting one seat, but 8 The 2017-2018 Split Term dates have served on the Council previous- The Gambia dropped out before the election. 9 Becoming a Candidate ly: Brazil has served ten times; Gabon and This year, three candidates (the DRC, Ghana both three times; the DRC twice; Gabon and Ghana) are contesting the two 9 Campaigning for the Council and the United Arab Emirates once. (For seats available to the African Group. Accord- 10 UN Documents on Security candidates’ prior term dates, please see the ing to the rotation pattern in the African Council Elections table below). Albania has never served on Group, the West Africa sub-region and the 11 Useful Additional Resources the Council. Only the African Group has Central Africa sub-region were expected to 11 Annex 1: Rules and Process for a contested election this year. Since 2010, propose one candidate each in the 2021 elec- Election to the Council: Relevant 78% of candidates have run uncontested. tions. Ghana is the candidate from the West Charter Provisions and Rules of The table below shows the number of seats Africa sub-region this year. However, two can- Procedure available by region in the 2021 election, the didates from the Central Africa sub-region are 12 Annex 2: Historical Background declared candidates, and their prior terms on running: the DRC and Gabon. Chad, also 13 Annex 3: Results of Recent the Council. a member of the Central Africa sub-region, Elections for Non-Permanent Brazil is one of only two elected mem- withdrew its candidature on 4 May due to the Members of the Council REGION SEATS AVAILABLE IN 2021 CANDIDATES AND PRIOR COUNCIL TERMS Africa 2 The DRC (1982-1983, 1990-1991); Gabon (1978- 1979, 1998-1999, 2010-2011) and Ghana (1962- 1963, 1986-1987, 2006-2007) Asia-Pacific1 1 United Arab Emirates (1986-1987) Latin America and 1 Brazil (1946-1947, 1951-1952, 1954-1955, 1963- Caribbean 1964, 1967-1968, 1988-1989, 1993-1994, 1998- 1999, 2004-2005, 2010-2011) Eastern Europe 1 Albania (never served) bers with ten or more previous terms: upon political situation in the country. taking its seat in 2022, it will match the The process of selection and endorse- record of Japan, which has had eleven pri- ment of candidatures for the African Group or Council terms. Albania, a UN member takes place within the AU structures. At the state since 1955, is among 63 UN member organisation’s 38th Ordinary Session in Feb- states—32.6% percent of the total member- ruary, the AU Executive Council endorsed ship—that have never been on the Council. the candidatures of Gabon and Ghana [EX. CL/Dec.1107- 1125(XXXVIII)]. However, African Seats2 the DRC has questioned the validity of the Three non-permanent seats are always allo- Executive Council endorsement of Gabon. cated to Africa. One seat comes up for elec- In a note verbale circulated to all UN mem- tion during every even calendar year, and bers on 18 May, the DRC stated that the two seats are contested during odd years. 34th Summit of the Heads of State and Gov- Although there have been exceptions, elec- ernment of the AU decided on 7 May that tions for seats allocated to Africa are usually consultations should continue at the regional uncontested, as the African Group maintains level (Central Africa sub-region) to achieve an established pattern of rotation among its compromise on the single candidate from five sub-regions (North Africa, Southern this sub-region. It observed that the “Assem- Africa, East Africa, West Africa and Central bly of Heads of State and Government…is Africa), as described in greater detail below. the supreme decision-making and policy- This pattern has been interrupted from time making body of the African Union”. to time: last year, Djibouti and Kenya (both The DRC also maintained that the 4 Feb- from East Africa sub-region) contested the ruary draft decision of the Executive Council single African seat, and this year, the DRC had noted that “the issue regarding the seat entered the race in May. Prior to 2020, the allocated to the Central Africa region remains 1Arab countries are a sub-group within the Asia-Pacific Group 2After the publication of this report, the DRC informed the UN Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly on 7 June that it had withdrawn its candidature from the Security Council elections. 2 securitycouncilreport.org Security Council Report Research Report June 2021 The 2021 Candidates unresolved…The three candidates, Chad, DRC and Gabon, have Ghana not yet reached consensus on one single candidate…This request Ghana joined the UN in March 1957, days after gaining its inde- shall be referred back to the Central Africa region for further con- pendence. It has served on the Security Council three times (1962- sultations and nomination of one single candidate”. 1963, 1986-1987 and 2006-2007). It was endorsed by the AU at the The final version of decisions of the Executive Council pub- organisation’s 38th Ordinary Session in February 2021. lished on the official AU website indicates that Ghana and Gabon Ghana has a long history of contributing to UN peacekeeping are endorsed candidates [EX.CL/Dec.1107- 1125(XXXVIII)]. It operations dating back to the UN Operation in the Congo (ONUC) does not make any reference to the contested candidacies within the in the early 1960s. It highlights the importance of implementing the Central Africa sub-region. In its note verbale, the DRC said that the recommendations of the 2015 report of the High-level Independent text of the decisions of the Executive Council had been modified and Panel on Peace Operations by focusing on the primacy of politics that it would seek further clarifications on this. and strengthening strategic planning and force generation, among The DRC has further argued that its candidacy for the Central other measures. African seat should be given priority based on the AU principles of If elected to a term in 2022-2023, Ghana commits itself to pro- frequency and rotation when considering candidatures for the UN moting the Council’s conflict prevention and post-conflict recon- Security Council. The DRC last served on the Council in 1990-1 and struction efforts. It emphasises the importance of integrating the Gabon in 2010-11. The DRC also emphasised that it submitted its three pillars of the UN’s work—peace and security, development candidacy in October 2019, before Gabon did so in December 2020. and human rights—in order to avert the outbreak, escalation and recurrence of conflict. Gabon It underscores its commitment to the women, peace and security Gabon became a member of the United Nations after gaining its inde- agenda. In this respect, it has said that it will push for the enhanced pendence in 1960. It has served on the Security Council three times participation of women in peace processes and operations. (1978-1979, 1998-1999 and 2010-2011). The AU endorsed its candi- Ghana emphasises its efforts to combat violent extremism. It dature at the organisation’s 38th Ordinary Session in February 2021. notes that the Accra Initiative—started by Ghana, Benin, Burkina If elected, a key priority for Gabon would be the resolution of crises Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Togo in 2017—strives to stop the expansion and conflicts in Africa, which constitute a significant share of the Secu- of terrorism from the Sahel, while counteracting organised crime. rity Council’s work. Within the framework of the “Silencing the Guns It also underscores the importance of enhanced relations between in Africa” initiative, it emphasises the importance of the fight against the the UN and regional and sub-regional organisations to promote illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons in Central Africa and international peace and security.