MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Colombia elected to UN Security Council with 180 votes

“We celebrate a new victory in the international arena for our country,” Sarabia said

Colombia was elected Tuesday to a two-year term (2026-2027) as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council by the UN General Assembly, alongside Bahrain, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Latvia, and Liberia.

The South American country, representing Latin America and the Caribbean, secured 180 votes and will replace Guyana. The Security Council, which makes legally binding decisions like imposing sanctions or authorizing force, consists of five permanent members (the United States, China, Russia, France, and the United Kingdom) with veto power and ten rotating members.

Colombia has held this seat seven times previously, last in 2011-2012. The other elected countries will replace Algeria, Sierra Leone, South Korea, and Slovenia, with Latvia being the only first-time member. Candidates, even unopposed, need two-thirds General Assembly support.

Bogotá's Foreign Minister Laura Sarabia hailed the election as a recognition of the country’s diplomatic leadership under President Gustavo Petro. “We celebrate a new victory in the international arena for our country,” Sarabia said in a statement. The new members will start their terms on Jan. 1, 2026.

The General Assembly on Monday elected former German Foreign Minister (2021-2025) Annalena Baerbock as its president. She will take office in September. Baerbock, a member of the Alliance 90/The Greens party, ran for Bundeskanzlerin in 2021. She holds a Master’s degree in Public International Law from the London School of Economics (LSE). Her election to the UN General Assembly presidency makes her the fifth woman to hold that position.