United Nations news covering Security Council resolutions, General Assembly sessions, peacekeeping, humanitarian efforts, and international cooperation.
Germany failed to secure a temporary UN Security Council seat for the first time, receiving 104 votes in the General Assembly. Portugal and Austria won the two available Western European seats with 134 and 131 votes respectively. The defeat is a diplomatic setback for Germany, the UN's second-largest financial contributor.
The UN General Assembly elected Austria, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Zimbabwe to the UN Security Council for two-year terms starting January 1, 2027. Kyrgyzstan secured its first-ever seat after four rounds of voting, becoming the first Central Asian country elected in over a decade.
Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Jeenbek Kulubaev urged expanding UN Security Council representation for Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and announced Kyrgyzstan's bid for a non-permanent seat. He argued the UNSC should not be a closed club and must consider all countries' interests.
Spain is pushing for a European to head the world's largest food agency for the first time in over 50 years. The agency is believed to be the UN World Food Programme.