A wide view of the Security Council Chamber. (file photo)
This article is published in association with United Nations.
From deploying peacekeepers to conducting quiet – but at times heated – diplomacy, the UN Security Council sits at the heart of global decision-making on war and peace. As of January, five new countries will have a seat around the iconic horseshoe table.
Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia and Liberia have begun two-year terms as non-permanent members, replacing Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia, whose terms ended last month.
They join the other five non-permanent members – Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia – who will serve through the end of 2026, alongside the five nations who are a constant presence – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The P5, as permanent members are called, hold veto power, allowing any one of them to block the adoption of a substantive resolution, regardless of majority support.
What the Security Council does
Under the UN Charter, the Security Council has primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. It is the only UN body whose decisions are legally binding on all Member States.
It can investigate disputes, urge parties to resolve conflicts, impose sanctions, authorise peacekeeping operations and – in exceptional circumstances – approve the use of force. Its resolutions shape international responses to armed conflicts, terrorism and nuclear proliferation.
The Council’s work unfolds both in public and behind closed doors: open meetings allow Member States, the media and the public, access to debates and briefings, while closed consultations give diplomats space to negotiate sensitive issues privately.
The Council has a calendar of meetings but can also convene emergency sessions at short notice.
UN Photo/Loey Felipe
An open meeting of the Security Council. Its 15 members and the Secretary-General seated at the iconic horseshoe table, along with an invited participant (far right).
Inside the Security Council Chamber
- The mural: A vast painting dominates the chamber, depicting a phoenix rising from the ashes as a symbol of renewal – humanity’s struggle from conflict toward peace.
- The doors: The heavy wooden doors, inlaid with images of torches and swords – symbols of war – emphasise the Council’s responsibility to preserve peace.
- The horseshoe table: The curved table ensures there is no head position, symbolic of formal equality, even as diplomatic power dynamics play out in practice.
Read more about the Chamber here.
Prestige and responsibility
Non-permanent members are elected annually by the 193-member General Assembly through a secret ballot. Seats are allocated by regional group, and candidates must secure a two-thirds majority to win election.
Membership involves considerable costs, covering meetings, travel, logistics and staff. More than 50 UN Member States have never served, underscoring the significance and capital involved in occupying a seat – Latvia makes history this January, joining for the first time.
Countries that are not Council members may take part in discussions without a vote when their interests are affected or when they are party to a dispute under consideration.
Growing deadlock, vetoes
The new members take their seats amid growing geopolitical divisions, with deep disagreements over conflicts such as Ukraine and the Middle East increasingly limiting unified action.
This deadlock is reflected in the growing use of the veto.
In the years following the end of the Cold War, vetoes were rare, often numbering one or two per year – and sometimes none at all. Since the mid-2010s, hands have been raised inside the chamber more often: seven times in 2023 and eight in 2024.
Diplomats often point to this trend as evidence of widening geopolitical rifts, which have made consensus harder to achieve and limited the Council’s ability to respond decisively.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas
The seat of the President of the Security Council and the gavel used to conduct its meetings.
Somalia at the helm
Each month, one Council member serves as President, a role that rotates in English alphabetical order among the 15 members. For January, it is Somalia.
The Presidency sets the programme of work, chairs meetings and issues statements on behalf of the Council. It is a role described as “wearing two hats”: acting both as a neutral facilitator for the Council as a whole and as a representative of their own national government.
After a turbulent 2025 that saw escalating warfare and shrinking resources, 2026 will test whether members can help build momentum and open space for decisive action, in a body increasingly shaped by entrenched positions.Installation ceremony of the flags of the new non-permanent members of the Security Council for 2026-2027.
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