Five new countries to join UNSC

Congo, Ghana, Peru, Qatar and Slovakia will join the 15-member Security Council as non-permanent members for a two-year term.

Congo, Ghana, Peru, Qatar and Slovakia will join the 15-member Security Council as non permanent members on January one for a two-year term.

HT Image

They will replace Algeria, Benin, Brazil, Philippines and Romania who retire at the completion of their two-year term.

The Council has five permanent members --the United States, Britain, Russia, France and China-- and ten permanent members, five of whom retire each year and their replacements are elected by the 191-member General Assembly on regional basis.

Japan, Denmark, Greece, Argentina and Tanzania will continue to be its non permanent members till December 31, 2006.

From January 1, the composition of the Council would comprise United States, Britain, Russia, France and China (permanent members with veto), Japan Denmark, Greece, Argentina and Tanzania, whose two-year term will end on December 31 2006, and Congo, Ghana, Peru, Qatar and Slovakia whose term expires on December 31, 2007.