Security Council Elections 2019
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Research Report Security Council Elections 2019 View of Retno Lestari Priansari Introduction: The 2019 Elections Marsudi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, expressing gratutude as Indonesia is elected to the Security Council. On her right side is Ambassador Dian Triansyah Djani On 7 June, the 73rd session of the UN General Group (GRULAC, currently held by Peru); and (Indonesia) 8 June 2018 (UN Photo/ Assembly is scheduled to hold elections for the • one seat for the Eastern European Group (cur- Manuel Elias) Security Council. The five seats available for elec- rently held by Poland). tion in 2019 according to the regular distribution The Western European and Others Group among regions will be as follows: (WEOG) is not contesting any seats this year as its 2019, No. #2 • two seats for the African Group (currently held two seats, held by Belgium and Germany through 14 May 2019 by Côte d´Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea); 2020, come up for election every other year. The This report is available online at • one seat for the Asia-Pacific Group (currently five new members elected this year will take up securitycouncilreport.org. held by Kuwait); their seats on 1 January 2020 and will serve until 31 For daily insights by SCR on evolving Security Council actions please • one seat for the Latin American and Caribbean December 2021. subscribe to our “What’s In Blue” series at whatsinblue.org or follow @SCRtweets on Twitter. Security Council Report Research Report May 2019 securitycouncilreport.org 1 1 Introduction: The 2019 Elections The 2019 Candidates 2 The 2019 Candidates 4 Likely Council Dynamics in 2020 Six member states—Estonia, Niger, Roma- in 1962 and 1963 between Romania and the 6 The Process of Election nia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Tuni- Philippines (1962, 1976-1977, 1990-1991 7 Regional Groups and Established sia and Viet Nam—are currently running for and 2004-2005); Tunisia has served three Practices the five available seats. Estonia and Romania times (1959-1960, 1980-1981 and 2000- 9 The 2017-2018 Split Term are contesting the single Eastern European 2001); and Viet Nam has served once (2008– 10 Becoming a Candidate Group seat, while the other four candidates 2009). Estonia and Saint Vincent and the will run unopposed. Four of the six candi- Grenadines have never served on the Council. 10 Campaigning for the Council dates have served on the Council previously: The table below shows the number of 11 UN Documents on Security Niger has served once, forty years ago (1980- seats available per region in the 2019 elec- Council Elections 1981); Romania has served four times, start- tion, the declared candidates, and their prior 11 Useful Additional Resources ing with one year as a result of the split term terms on the Council. 12 Annex 1: Rules and Process for Election to the Council: Relevant REGION SEATS MEMBER STATES RUNNING AND Charter Provisions and Rules of AVAILABLE IN PREVIOUS TERMS ON THE COUNCIL Procedure 2019 13 Annex 2: Historical Background Africa 2 Niger (1980-1981) and Tunisia (1959-1960, 13 Annex 3: Results of Recent 1980-1981, 2000-2001) Elections for Non-Permanent Members of the Council Asia-Pacific 1 Viet Nam (2008-2009) Latin America and Caribbean 1 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (never served) Eastern Europe 1 Estonia (never served) and Romania (1962, 1976-1977, 1990-1991, 2004-2005) Romania, with four previous terms, and the Central Africa seat currently held by Tunisia, with three previous terms, have the Equatorial Guinea. Tunisia will also fill most prior Council experience, followed by the Arab swing seat, which alternates every Niger and Viet Nam, each having served odd calendar year between the Asia-Pacific one term. Estonia and Saint Vincent and the Group and the African Group and is being Grenadines are among the 65 UN member vacated by Kuwait on 31 December 2019. states—34 percent of the total membership— (The Arab swing seat is described in greater that have never served on the Council. detail below.) African Seats Niger Three non-permanent seats are allocated to Niger became a UN member in 1960 after Africa. One seat comes up for election during gaining its independence from France that every even calendar year, and two seats are year and has served on the Security Coun- contested during odd years. Although there cil once (1980-1981). Its candidacy for the have been exceptions, elections for seats allo- 2020-2021 seat was endorsed by the AU fol- cated to Africa tend to be uncontested, as the lowing the organisation’s 32nd Ordinary Ses- African Group maintains an established pat- sion in January/February after Ghana, which tern of rotation among its five sub-regions has served on the Security Council three (North Africa, Southern Africa, East Africa, times (most recently in 2006-2007), with- West Africa and Central Africa), as described drew as a potential candidate. Niger circu- in greater detail below. lated a note verbale presenting its candida- This year, Niger is running unopposed for ture to the permanent missions and observer the West Africa seat currently held by Côte missions of the UN on 7 May. d’Ivoire. The fact that Niger, a Francophone As at 31 March, Niger contributes 941 country, will succeed another Francophone personnel to four UN peace operations, country, Côte d’Ivoire, departs from a general predominantly to the UN Multidimension- pattern of this seat alternating between Anglo- al Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali phone and Francophone countries in the past. (MINUSMA). Tunisia is running unopposed for the North Africa seat, which will rotate with 2 whatsinblue.org Security Council Report Research Report May 2019 The 2019 Candidates Tunisia October until 7 November). As a result of Estonia Tunisia became a UN member in 1956 after this experience, an informal understanding Estonia became a UN member in 1991 fol- gaining its independence from France that developed among GRULAC members to lowing its regaining of independence from year, and has served on the Security Coun- avoid contested elections, starting with the the Soviet Union and has never served on cil three times, at roughly 20-year intervals 2007 elections for the 2008-2009 term. Since the Security Council. It submitted its can- (1959-1960, 1980-1981 and 2000-2001). then, Mexico (2008), Brazil (2009), Colom- didacy for the 2020-2021 term in 2005 and Its candidacy for the 2020-2021 seat was bia (2010), Guatemala (2011), Argentina launched its official campaign in July 2017. endorsed by the AU at the organisation’s 31st (2012), Chile (2013), Venezuela (2014), Uru- In its campaign, Estonia identified cyber- Ordinary Session in June/July 2018 and, prior guay (2015), Bolivia (2016), Peru (2017) and security as high on its list of priorities, includ- to that, by the Arab Group. the Dominican Republic (2018) have all been ing in the context of threats of cyber-attacks. During its campaign, Tunisia has empha- sole candidates for the GRULAC seat on the Climate change and climate security has also sised that peace, security, development and Security Council. This year, Saint Vincent been highlighted as an area of particular pri- human rights are interrelated. It aims to use and the Grenadines is running unopposed ority. Its campaign has highlighted the coun- its term on the Security Council to prioritise for the seat currently held by Peru. try’s commitment to sharing its experience conflict prevention, including through pro- and best practices in finding digital solutions. moting sustainable peace and strengthen- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines It has also highlighted conflict prevention ing ties between the UN and regional bod- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines became a as a priority: in this context, Estonia would ies, particularly the AU and League of Arab UN member in 1980 after gaining its inde- aim to focus more attention and resources States; the peaceful and negotiated settlement pendence from the UK in 1979, and has never on conflict prevention and increased Security of disputes, particularly in conflicts in Afri- served on the Security Council. It submitted Council efforts dedicated to this end, includ- ca and the Middle East, notably the Pales- its candidacy for the 2020-2021 term in 2010 ing working with member states, the UN tine issue; promoting the role of women and and was endorsed by GRULAC in Novem- system, and regional organisations towards youth; and the fight against terrorism. It also ber 2018 and, prior to that, by the Caribbean facilitating peaceful solutions. Another area seeks to focus on UN peacekeeping opera- Community (CARICOM). If elected, Saint of priority that Estonia would seek to work tions through promoting greater effectiveness, Vincent and the Grenadines will be the first towards is greater accountability, coherence, clear and realistic mandates, and resource CARICOM member to serve on the Security and transparency of the Security Council’s mobilisation. Additionally, Tunisia has high- Council since Jamaica’s 2000-2001 term. activities through increased inclusiveness lighted the need to foster collective and con- In its campaign, Saint Vincent and the and targeted action. Estonia belongs to the sensual responses to climate change and Grenadines has emphasised the importance Accountability, Coherence and Transparency cyber-threats. Tunisia was the first African of advancing security-related issues around Group (ACT), an initiative launched in 2013 country to preside over the General Assembly climate change, sustainable development, by a group of member states focusing on the (during its 16th session in 1961/1962) and disarmament, and human rights. It has also Security Council’s working methods, particu- was president of the Economic and Social expressed interest in promoting the role of larly those that enhance non-members’ inter- Council in 1971 and 2006.