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Somalia has been elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. A vote on the 6th of June saw the African nation win its seat in the UN body. It is the first time for Somalia to hold the position since the 1970s. It descended into brutal and bloody conflict for three decades after. Civil and factional wars brought the country to its knees. A coalition government in 2009 then brought the return of stability. Somalia's recent turmoil, and its struggles to defeat Islamist militants, give it a valuable voice in promoting peace and security in the world.
The UN Security Council was formed in 1945 to help maintain global peace. Its 15 members include five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the UK and the US – and 10 revolving non-permanent members. To win a seat, a nation must secure the support of at least two thirds of UN delegations. Somalia was elected unopposed. It will serve for two years from January. The Somali Foreign Minister said: "Our tenure will be guided by our full commitment to multilateralism, and our respect of the principles of international law [set down] in the UN Charter."
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