SECURITY COUNCIL REPORT

SPECIAL RESEARCH REPORT

This report and links to all of the relevant documents are available on our website at www.securitycouncilreport.org
2008 No.2
29 August 2008

UN Security Council Elections 2008

This Special Research Report on the n two seats for Western European and Assembly decision 34/401, paragraph
2008 Security Council Elections covers: Others Group (WEOG), (currently 16, which allows the Assembly to
Introduction........................................1 held by Belgium and Italy). dispense with elections where there
The Contested Seats........................ 2 is a “clean slate” from a regional
The five new members elected this
Modern Regional Groupings and group, applies only to subsidiary
year will take up their seats on 1 Janu-
Established Practices.................... 4 organs and therefore does not apply
ary and will serve on the Security
Established Practices in to Security Council elections.) Of the
Council for the period 2009-2010.
Becoming a Candidate for a 42 elections held between 1966 and
Non-Permanent Seat..................... 8 At this time it appears that two seats— 2007, 23 have been uncontested in all
UN Documents................................. 8 Africa and GRULAC—will be un- five groups. To be elected, a candidate
Useful Additional Sources................ 8 contested. Until June this year the needs to obtain a two-thirds majority
Annex 1: Rules and Process for African seat had two contenders, of the vote.
Election to the Council; Relevant Uganda and Madagascar. However at
It seems the election for the three
Charter Provisions and Rules the African Union Summit in Sharm
seats in the remaining two groups will
of Procedure.................................. 9 El-Sheikh in June, the AU Executive
be contested.
Annex 2: Historical Background..... 10 Council endorsed Uganda as the
n Iran and Japan are vying for the
candidate for the African seat for
Asian seat. (Mongolia had originally
2009-10. Uganda had a split term on
indicated it would run for this seat
Introduction the Council in 1966 and then served
but withdrew in January 2007 when
for two years in 1981-82. Mexico is
The General Assembly is expected to Japan entered the race.)
the only candidate for the GRULAC
hold elections on 17 October for five n The two seats WEOG are being
seat. Mexico is one of the UN’s
seats of the ten seats on the Council contested by Austria, Iceland and
founding members and was part of
which are available for elected mem- Turkey.
the first group of elected Council
bers serving two-year terms. The five
members in 1946. Since then it has In this election there is a wide range of
seats available for election in 2008 will
been on the Council only twice, in previous Council experience among
be distributed regionally as follows:
1980-81 and in 2002-03. Having won the candidates. They include one
n one seat for Africa (currently held by
regional endorsement, Uganda and country that has never served on the
South Africa);
Mexico are in practice assured of Council to one that has had nine
n one seat for the Group of Latin
being elected by the General Assem- terms on the Council. The table on
American and Caribbean States
bly. However, because these are page 2 illustrates the number of
(GRULAC), (currently held by Pan-
elections to a principal organ of the seats available to the different regions
ama);
United Nations, formal balloting is in the election, the declared candi-
n one seat for Asia (currently held by
required even though there is an dates and their previous experience
Indonesia); and
endorsed candidate. (General on the Council.

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 SECURITY COUNCIL REPORT
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Region Number States Number of years served on the Council to date
of seats running
available
in 2008

Latin America & Caribbean 1 Mexico Three terms comprising 5 years

(1946, 1980-82, and 2002-03)

Western Europe and Others 2 Austria Two terms comprising 4 years (1973-74 and 1991-92)
Iceland Has never served
Turkey Three terms comprising five years (1951-52, 1954-55, and
1961 (split term))

Asia 1 Iran One term comprising two years (1955-56)

Japan Nine terms comprising 18 years (1958-59, 1966-67,
1971-72, 1975-76, 1981-82, 1987-88, 1992-93, 1997-98,
and 2005-06)

Africa 1 Uganda Two terms comprising three years (1966 (split term) and
1981-82)

a UN member in 1955 and has served date obtains the necessary number
The Contested Seats
twice in 1973-74 and 1991-92. of seats or withdraws.
Western European and
The two seats in WEOG are open to all A further possible scenario is:
Others Group Seats
three candidates as there are no seats n multiple rounds of voting take place
The two WEOG seats come up every
allocated for subregional groups in because all three candidates initially
two years. This year, with three quite
WEOG (unlike the African Group fail to obtain the two-thirds majority.
distinct contenders, the WEOG seats
which has a subregional rotation This is likely to occur if all three
are expected to be the most hotly
based on geography). There are a candidates have a strong base of
contested.
number of possible election scenarios support that does not waiver as
Turkey is a founding member of the for the two Western European seats. voting continues.
UN. It has served three times on the The simplest would be:
As the process unfolds, General As-
Council: 1951-52, 1954-55 and 1961 n two of the three candidates obtain
sembly members are likely to take into
(where it split the term with Poland). the necessary two-thirds of the
consideration a range of factors includ-
Currently, for electoral purposes it is votes in the first round of voting – but
ing the following historical patterns.
part of the WEOG group, but it is also given the strong support which all
n This is Iceland’s first attempt to run
a member of the Asia group. Under three of the candidates seem to
for a Council seat. It is running with
previous configurations of the regional enjoy this seems unlikely.
the support of the Nordic subgroup
group system, in the past Turkey has
Another possible scenario is: within WEOG. The other members
occupied what was called the Middle
n one of the three candidates obtains of the Nordic subgroup—Denmark,
East seat (1951-52) and the Eastern
the two-thirds of the votes in the first Norway, Finland and Sweden—
European seat (1954-55 and 1961).
round but neither of the other two have been on the Council regularly
Iceland became a UN member in 1946 obtains a two-thirds majority. The over the years but Iceland chose not
one year after the founding of the voting then would continue for the to be a candidate until now. Iceland’s
organisation. However it has never one remaining seat until one candi- candidacy was endorsed by the
served on the Council. Austria became

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 Nordic Group in 1998 and announced The three candidates highlight their The factors that members are likely to
within WEOG in April 2000. differing international peace and take into consideration are the following.
n Although between 1951 and 1961 security credentials and they each n Iran was admitted to the UN on 24

Turkey spent five years on the are also drawing attention to other October 1945. It has only been on
Council it is now 47 years since it specific strengths. the Council once in 1955-56 when it
last held a seat. It has indicated n Austria emphasises its long engage- ran unopposed in the then Middle
interest in running a number of ment with international law, human East seat. Its candidacy for 2009-10
times but various circumstances rights and disarmament. It high- was formally announced by the Asia
have forced it to withdraw, most lights its participation in EU activities Group in September 2007.
recently a major earthquake in 2003. as a strength. n Iran is in the midst of a protracted

Turkey announced that same year n Iceland highlights that it is a country dispute with the Security Council
that it would run in 2009. with an independent minded foreign which has passed three sets of
n Austria since it became a member in policy and that it has particular sanctions resolutions on Iran. Iran
1955 has had two terms on the strength and freedom from not rejects the legality of these actions.
Council, most recently in 1991-92. being a member of the EU political n Japan has had nine terms on the

This is its first contested election for coordi-nation. It identifies common Council. It last held a seat in 2005-
a Council seat as it had a clean slate interest with countries concerned 06. The only time Japan has been
in past elections. It was the first of about sustainable use of natural opposed in running for a non-
the three to announce its candidacy resources. It emphasises its under- permanent seat was in 1996 when
in 1998. standing of the interests of small it ran against India and won by a
states including the threat to their large margin.
The three candidates have contributed
security by phenomenon such as n Japan is the second largest contrib-
to the maintenance of international
sea level rise. utor to the UN regular budget and
peace and security in different ways.
n Turkey emphasises its geo-strategic the peacekeeping budget after the
Austria says that it has contributed a
location pointing out that many of US, accounting for close to 20 per-
total of 60,000 individuals to peace-
the issues on the Council’s agenda cent of the regular budget and 17
keeping since 1960 in over fifty peace
are in Turkey’s geographical vicinity. percent of the peacekeeping budget.
missions. Currently there are 1400
It stresses the importance of
Austrians serving in UN peacekeeping In terms of its participation in inter-
dialogue for peace and security
operations. Turkey has been involved national peace and security activities,
and uses as an example its attempts
in peacekeeping activities since the Japan began contributing to peace-
to facilitate dialogue between Israel
Korean War and is ranked 28th in keeping operations in 1989 and has
and Syria.
military and police contributors to provided both civilians and Self-
UN missions. It has been actively Defence Forces to eight peacekeeping
The Asian Seat
involved in UN counter-terrorism operations. (Japan’s peacekeepers
The competition in the Asian group is
initiatives. Iceland, like Costa Rica have been involved in humanitarian
between a country with extensive
which is currently on the Council, is an and infrastructure work.) It has also
experience on the Council and one
unarmed nation, but it has been a been active in trying to improve the
whose last experience on the Council
member of the UN Special Committee effectiveness of Council working
was 53 years ago. Most observers
on Peacekeeping Operations since methods and peacekeeping by
expect Japan to prevail over Iran even
1997. In 2001, it set up an Icelandic chairing the Security Council working
if voting is not decided in the first
Crisis Response made up of civilian groups on these issues when it was
round. A protracted stalemate is
experts who serve in various peace last on the Council in 2005-06. Iran
not expected.
operations. All three countries also has not been involved in any UN
contribute to NATO operations. peacekeeping activities.

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 SECURITY COUNCIL REPORT
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without any group for many years, was have at times indeed chosen to shift
Modern Regional
Groupings and given temporary membership in from one subgroup to another.
Established Practices WEOG in May 2000 which is subject to
Under this rotation for example, the
renewal every four years. In 2005
Since 1963 the regional groups for the East Africa group has a 52-year cycle
Israel announced that it plans to run
purposes of elections to the Security for its 13 members. However other
for a seat on the Council under WEOG
Council are governed by a formula set factors can override this established
in 2018. It continues to prefer mem-
out in General Assembly resolution practice and challengers can emerge
bership in the Asian Group which is
1991 A(XVIII). Under that resolution within the same regional grouping
opposed to accepting it.
the seats available to the African and upsetting the order. This year it was
Asian states were combined. However, Uganda’s “turn” to run for the East
African Group
in reality the candidates for elections Africa seat but Madagascar, which
Most of the groups have informal
for the African and Asian states oper- also comes under East Africa for elec-
understandings which are not codi-
ate separately and this Report follows toral purposes, initially chose to
fied into actual rules. The African
that customary practice. contest the election as well. Last year
Group is an exception to this. It has
Mauritania put in a contested bid even
The UN Charter provides that non- adopted the Rules of Procedure of the
after the AU had endorsed Libya and
permanent members would be AU Ministerial Committee on Candida-
Burkina Faso but eventually withdrew
elected according to equitable, tures within the International System
about a month ahead of the election.
geographic distribution. It does not for the selection of candidates. Sub-
stipulate how that should be achieved regional groups within the African As illustrated above candidates are
nor does it suggest a possible compo- Group tend to follow a disciplined often persuaded to drop out to avoid a
sition of appropriate geographical rotation system. Theoretically under competitive election. But there are
groups. Nevertheless, the idea of this system every country in Africa times when challengers emerge and
equitable geographic distribution should eventually get a turn to be a continue all the way through the elec-
gave rise to electoral groups being candidate for a seat on the Council. It tion. Since 1966, when the current
established as a vehicle for achieving does mean however that the UN regional groupings were established,
that goal. The regional groups, as they membership at large has little choice there have been only four competitive
now operate, are as follows: on the African candidate. The rotation elections for the African seats. Nigeria
follows a systematic cycle based on prevailed over Niger after five rounds
African Group 53 members the following principle: in 1979. It also challenged Guinea-Bis-
n North Africa (six states) and Central sau in 1993 and won. In 1985 Ghana
Asian Group 53 members
Africa (nine states) rotate one seat and Liberia went to four rounds before
Eastern European Group 23 members every two years; Ghana won. Another example was
n Western Africa (15 states) has one when Sudan lost to Mauritius in 2000.
GRULAC 33 members
seat every two years; and In a letter to the President of the Gen-
WEOG 28 members n Eastern Africa (13 states) and South- eral Assembly (A/55/463) objections
ern Africa (ten states) rotate one were raised to Sudan’s candidature
(Currently only Kiribati does not par- seat every two years. on both the grounds that it had not fol-
ticipate in any regional grouping within lowed the proper procedures in
the UN.)The US is not a member of However, the picture becomes com-
notifying the AU and that it was under
any group but attends meetings of the plicated at times because countries
UN Security Council sanctions. The
WEOG as an observer and is consid- within a subregional group can
Organisation of African Unity (OAU)
ered a member of this group for change their affiliation. Also some
summit did not endorse any candi-
electoral purposes. Israel, which was countries that can claim to straddle
date that year.
more than one geographic region

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 Looking ahead to 2009 there currently tion results in candidates being against each other. In 1975 India and
are two candidates—Nigeria and Sierra elected that would have struggled in Pakistan fought for the same seat
Leone—indicating interest for the one a contested election and add little going to eight rounds with Pakistan
available Western African seat. to resolving problems. Rwanda’s finally winning. India and Pakistan also
election in 1993 is an example. (More- overlapped for a year in 1984. How-
The process for selecting a candidate
over it tends to undermine article 23 ever since 1992 India has not been on
in the African Group has a defined
of the UN Charter which refers to con- the Council. It did run in 1996 but lost
path. First the subregional groups
tribution to international peace and to Japan. Recently it announced that it
select their candidates whose names
security and to equitable geographi- plans to run in the 2010 election.
will be forwarded to the African Group
cal distribution as criteria which are
of ambassadors for endorsement. The Japan also has been a regular pres-
both to be taken into consideration
ambassadors submit the candidates ence from 1966 onwards and has
when electing non-permanent mem-
to the Committee on Candidatures of accumulated a record 18 years on
bers to the Council.) However, a
the African Group in New York which the Council by running nearly every
regional group may choose to
then transmits the candidates to the two to four years. The lack of a formal
persuade a candidate to defer its
AU’s Ministerial Committee on Candi- rotation system has meant that there
candidacy as the Africa Group did
datures of the AU which follows its is often competition for the Asian seat
with Libya in 1995 and 2003.
written Rules of Procedure in selecting regardless of whether a candidate
candidates. (The African Group and Another factor which is coming into declares itself far in advance. Larger
the AU are made up of the same mem- play is the growing desire by the larger countries like Japan tend to declare
bers with the exception of Morocco countries which have played a major their candidacy much closer to the
which is not a part of the AU.) role in contributing to peacekeeping, election year while smaller countries
such as Nigeria, to be elected more are more likely to announce their
Regional organisations, such as the
often than strict adherence to rotation decision to run many years ahead of
Economic Community of West African
would allow. It remains to be seen how time. For example Kazakhstan which
States, may add their endorsement
this will play out in the future. is running for the first time in 2010 put
before the list goes to the AU ministers.
in its bid in 1997. India announced it
This year the Ministerial Committee,
Asian Group would run in 2007 for the same period
unable to decide between Uganda
In contrast there are no established on the Council.
and Madagascar, submitted both
practices in the Asian Group for rota-
candidates to the Executive Commit- The only subgroup within the Asian
tion of seats. While it has the same
tee of the AU. A final decision is then Group which endorses its candidates
number of countries as the African
taken by the Executive Committee, is the Association of Southeast Asian
Group, the Asian Group’s wide geo-
made up of the AU leaders, during AU Nations (ASEAN) made up of the ten
graphic span—covering the Middle
summit meetings. In spite of having Southeast Asian countries. Although
East, Northeast Asia and Southeast
these written Rules of Procedure for there is no policy of ASEAN fielding
Asia—has led to a much looser
candidate selection, candidates have regular candidates there has been a
regional grouping.
in the past submitted their candidature regular ASEAN presence in the Coun-
directly to the AU Ministerial Commit- Still some patterns have emerged. cil, particularly since 1999. In the last
tee on Candidatures bypassing the Until the mid-90s there was an almost ten years Malaysia, Singapore, the
process in New York. continuous South Asian presence on Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam
the Council with India, Pakistan, Nepal have occupied almost back-to-back
The practice of rotation tends to favour
and Bangladesh occupying seats on seats on the Council. (This year, for
clean slate elections. However, there
the Council. However, there doesn’t the first time, two ASEAN countries,
are times when mechanistic applica-
appear to be a policy of not running Vietnam and Indonesia, have been

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 SECURITY COUNCIL REPORT
SPECIAL RESEARCH REPORT
on the Council.) However given that 1968 this seat has been continuously Union’s splitting into 15 states. It also
Thailand, which had initially declared occupied by an Arab country. has the newest UN member, Montene-
its intention to run in 2010 has with- gro, admitted to the UN in 2006. With
drawn, and the next known ASEAN Eastern European Group so many relatively new members of
candidates are Cambodia in 2012 and The Eastern European Group is the the UN, the Group has not yet devel-
Malaysia in 2014, it appears that there smallest group consisting of 23 states. oped established practices.
will be a few years with no ASEAN But it is the group that has increased
member after Vietnam leaves the the most in recent years, with fifteen Western European and
Council at the end of 2009. new members since 1991. Only twelve Others Group
members have ever served on the WEOG, the second smallest regional
The Arab Swing Seat Council. The Eastern European seat grouping, is a group whose members
There is an established practice that was one of the original seats men- share broadly similar levels of eco-
spans the Asian and African Groups. tioned in 1946 by the permanent nomic development and political
As discussed in Annex 2 below, Gen- members’ “gentlemen’s agreement”. values but which is the most diverse
eral Assembly resolution 1991 A(XVIII) Subsequently the meaning of that geographically. The group comprises
provided five seats for Asia and Africa agreement was contested for twenty Western Europe plus the “Others”.
and in practice the seats have been years with the Soviet Union and the This later subgroup is made up of
divided into three seats for Africa and West vying to place their preferred three members of what was
two for Asia. In 1967, after Jordan candidates in this seat. It also became previously called the British Common-
ended its two-year term in what had a hotly contested seat among new wealth Group. The British Common-
been the Middle East seat before the member countries that did not have a wealth Group grew rapidly in the late
current regional groupings were clear regional grouping, for example 1950s as states from Africa and Asia
established, there was a year with no the Philippines in 1955 when there became independent. Most of these
Arab state on the Council. It appears was no Asian seat. Although Turkey newly independent states eventually
that there was an informal agreement, runs now as a member of WEOG, in moved to the Asian and African
although there seem to be no known 1961 it occupied the Eastern Euro- Groups and to GRULAC. Canada,
records, that one seat would be pean seat on the Council. As a result Australia and New Zealand became
reserved for an Arab state and that of the competition over this seat until “the Others” in WEOG.
Asia and Africa would take turns every 1960 Poland and the Ukraine (which
WEOG practices what might be called
two years to provide a suitable candi- was in fact part of the Soviet Union but
an open market system for allocation
date. As a result this seat is often called had a separate membership in the
of seats, which produces a regular
the “Arab swing seat”. Since 1968 the UN, as did Belarus, as part of an
pattern of contested candidatures.
Arab candidate from the African Group agreement between the Soviet
Eight members of the group—Andorra,
has generally come from North Africa Union, UK and the US during the Yalta
Iceland, Israel, Lichtenstein, Luxem-
except for when Sudan occupied the Conference in 1945) were the only
bourg, Monaco, San Marino,
seat from 1972-73. The Asian Group Eastern European countries elected.
Switzerland—have never served on
works on the informal understanding
The Eastern European Group grew the Council. Some members like Italy
that it will field a suitable Arab candi-
significantly in the aftermath of the and Canada have served six times.
date every four years. Next year
Cold War, with the split of Yugoslavia
Lebanon is running for the seat cur- There are several loose subgroups
into six countries (Bosnia-Herzegov-
rently occupied by Vietnam. Although within WEOG: the Nordics (Denmark,
ina, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia,
this is an informal agreement between Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden),
Serbia and Montenegro), the break-
the Asian and African Groups, since the Benelux (Belgium, Luxembourg
up of Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet

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 and the Netherlands) and CANZ see a return to former days. However, compromise candidate after over
(Canada, Australia and New Zealand). this year’s hot competition between two weeks of voting.
There are informal understandings Turkey, Iceland and Austria and the
The 2006 election, with the deadlock
within these subgroups which have fact that the next two WEOG elections
between Guatemala and Venezuela,
helped members to campaign for are likely to be contested (Germany,
highlighted the potential for regional
each other—this is particularly the Canada and Portugal are candidates
groups to play an important role in
case with the Nordic and CANZ coun- in 2010 and Australia, Finland and
resolving such deadlocks. GRULAC
tries. Since the creation of WEOG in Luxembourg in 2012) suggests that
was actively involved in finding a com-
1965 until 2001 CANZ countries have WEOG has become highly competi-
promise candidate and in persuading
been on the Council every two to four tive again.
Venezuela and Guatemala to step
years. However since 2001 there has
down. The process took some time.
been an eight year period with no rep- Latin American and
Although the situation had occurred
resentation from these three countries. Caribbean Group
before, there were no clear protocols
This is likely to change in the next few The Latin American group retained
within GRULAC for how to handle this
years as Canada will run in 2010, unchanged membership until 1963.
sort of situation.
Australia in 2012 and New Zealand in After the expansion of the Council and
2014. The Nordic subgroup has a following the reorganisation of the After the difficulties in 2006, the Latin
clearly established practice of fielding electoral groups in resolution 1991 American countries in GRULAC
an agreed Nordic candidate once A(XVIII) the Latin American Group took appear to be moving towards a more
every four years in the following order: in the Caribbean states (which coordinated system of candidature for
Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Nor- included several members of the the Council in order to avoid having
way. Iceland in the past had chosen Commonwealth) and became the future Latin American candidates
not to take its turn. They also cam- Group of Latin American and Carib- competing for a seat. There is an
paign collectively as seen in the bean states (GRULAC). emerging sense that there should only
September 2007 joint letter sent by be one candidate running each year
Like most of the other groups, GRU-
the Nordic foreign ministers asking and that Latin American countries are
LAC has no formal rules regarding
UN members to support Iceland’s conscious of not competing with each
rotation. For much of the last sixty
candidacy. As a result the Nordic can- other. At the moment between 2009,
years Latin American countries have
didates have been a regular presence when Brazil will run, and 2016 when
tended to dominate regional repre-
since 1949. The longest period with- Bolivia will be the candidate there is
sentation. Historically, the group was
out a Nordic country on the Council only one Latin American candidate on
often able to reach consensus on
was between 1991 and 1996. the list for each election. This approach
clean slates with only five contested
is at some risk, however, because it
In the past it seems that there were elections over the years. However the
ignores what will happen if a Carib-
some loose understandings between Group has produced two of the most
bean country chooses to compete.
the subgroups which sometimes protracted and bitterly contested vot-
Another problem that may be emerg-
enabled them to avoid competition for ing sessions in UN history. In 1979 the
ing is the growing interest by the
the same seat. However, for some contest between Cuba and Colombia
bigger countries like Brazil and
time that era appeared to be of histori- went to 155 rounds before Mexico was
Mexico in running more regularly.
cal interest only. Some wondered elected as a compromise candidate.
whether the 2006 elections, which In 2006 there were 48 rounds between
brought Belgium and Italy onto the Guatemala and Venezuela with
Council in an uncontested vote, might Panama finally coming in as the

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 SECURITY COUNCIL REPORT
SPECIAL RESEARCH REPORT
n Although there is nothing in the
Established Practices in January 1946) was the first elec-
Becoming a Candidate General Assembly’s Rules of Proce- tion of non-permanent members.
for a Non-Permanent Seat dure specifying that this should be
Other
done, most candidates also send
With the exception of the African • UN Charter
a note to the Secretariat or the
Group, which has a more codified pro- • A/520/Rev.15 and Amendment 1
President of the General Assembly
cess, most candidates follow a fairly and 2 are the Rules of Procedure
announcing the country’s candida-
standard path in announcing and pur- of the General Assembly includ-
ture for a particular year. If the
suing their candidacy for the Council. ing amendments and additions.
country has been endorsed by its
n If the country is a member of a sub-
regional group it is likely to provide
regional group like the Nordic that information. This is not circu-
Group within WEOG or ASEAN lated as a formal UN document but Useful Additional Sources
within the Asian Group it will inform becomes a guide to help the Secre-
n Reforming the United Nations:
and seek the support of the mem- tariat prepare the relevant doc-
bers of its subregional group of its Lessons from a History in Progress,
umentation for the election process.
intention to run. The endorsement Edward Luck, International Rela-
of the subregional grouping then tions Studies and the United Nations
becomes an important factor in the Occasional Papers, 2003, No.1
UN Documents n Eyes on the Prize: The Quest for Non-
second step.
n The second step is to write formally Selected General Assembly
permanent Seats on the UN Security
to inform to the monthly chair of the Documents Council by David Malone, Global
regional group of the country’s • A/62/915 (31 July 2008) was the Governance, vol. 6. no.1, January-
intention to stand for election. This draft programme of the plenary March 2000
n What is Equitable Geographic
is then incorporated by the chair in for the 63rd General Assembly.
the Group’s UN candidacy chart • A/62/PV.26 (16 October 2007) Representation in the Twenty-First
which is maintained by each was the plenary record of the Century edited by Ramesh Thakur,
regional group and renewed at 2007 elections of non-permanent International Peace Academy, Sem-
monthly Group meetings. members. inar Report, 26 March 1999
n The Procedure of the UN Security
n At this point most candidates then • A/59/881 (26 July 2005) was a
prepare a circular note to all mis- note verbale from Costa Rica Council by Sydney Bailey and Sam
sions in New York informing them of containing information on Daws, Chapter 3, Clarendon Press,
the candidacy. elections from 1946 – 2004. Oxford, 1998.
n The Once and Future Security Coun-
n As the year for the relevant election • A/55/463 (9 October 2000) was
approaches, if there are no other the letter from Uganda on cil, edited by Bruce Russet, St
candidates running for the seat in Sudan’s candidature. Martin’s Press, 1997
n A History of the UN Charter by Ruth
question, the regional group may • A/RES 1991 A(XVIII) (17 Decem-
decide to give its endorsement and ber 1963) was the resolution Russell, The Brookings Institute
n Politics and Change in the Security
close to the time of the election the adopting amendments to the
chair of the Group will inform the Charter on the composition of Council, International Organisation,
president of the General Assembly the Council and establishing the Vol. 14, No.3, Summer 1960, pp.381-
of the “clean slate”. If not, as is the allocation of seats to various 401
n See http://www.un.org/Depts/dpa/
case with both the Asian Group and regions.
WEOG this year, there will be no • GAOR 1st Session, Part 1, 14th repertoire/ for analysis of the
endorsement. Plenary Session and Part II (12 question of “equitable geographical
distribution” under article 23.

 Security Council Report One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, 885 Second Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10017 T:1 212 759 9429 F:1 212 759 4038 www.securitycouncilreport.org
 n See http://www.africa-union.org/ General Assembly for the stipulated or financial contributions for peace-
root/au/Conferences/Summits/ two-year period. This was determined keeping operations and peace
summit.htm for a list of AU summit by rule 142 of the Rules of Procedure processes. Contribution to “the other
decisions. of the General Assembly. purposes of the organisation”, by
n Elected Members of the Security contrast, is a very wide term.
Despite the specification of a two-year
Council: 1946-Present, found on
term there have been exceptions of A key procedural provision of the
the Global Policy Forum website at
members serving shorter terms. There Charter, which is relevant to Security
www.globalpolicy.org/security/
have been one-year terms, either to Council elections, is article 18(2). This
membership
break electoral deadlocks or to estab- requires a two-thirds majority vote in
n United Nations Handbook 2007-
lish the required rotational cycle. the General Assembly on “important
2008 published by the New Zealand
questions”. Under that article, election
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Article 23 also contains a provision
to the Council is defined as an impor-
Trade. that ensures that no member can
tant question.
n Rules of Procedure of the AU Minis- become a de facto permanent mem-
terial Committee on Candidatures ber by being elected to continuously In addition, article 18(2) defines the
within the International System, Doc. serve in the Council: required majority by reference to
EX/CL/213 (VIII) members “present and voting”. This
“A retiring member shall not be
refers to members casting an affirma-
eligible for immediate re-election.”
tive or negative vote. Members who
Annex 1: Rules and This is further reinforced by rule 144 of abstain from voting are considered
Process for Election to the Rules of Procedure of the General not voting. If all members are present
the Council; Relevant Assembly, which also states that a and voting, the required majority in
Charter Provisions and retiring member of the Council will not 2008 will be 128, unless some
Rules of Procedure be eligible for immediate re-election. members are precluded from voting
Charter Provisions on by virtue of article 19 of the Charter,
The Charter also specifies the criteria
Election to the Council due to arrears in payment of financial
that the members of the General
The United Nations Charter, in article contributions.
Assembly should apply when consid-
23, specifies the number of non-per-
ering who should be elected to serve
manent members to be elected: Relevant Rules of Procedure
on the Council. It provides in article 23
Closely contested elections to the
“The General Assembly shall elect that due regard shall be:
Security Council can sometimes pro-
ten other Members of the United duce tense and dramatic situations on
“…specially paid, in the first instance
Nations to be non-permanent the floor of the General Assembly. In
to the contribution of Members of
members of the Security Council…” such circumstances understanding
the United Nations to the mainte-
It also stipulates the length of their nance of international peace and the relevant Rules of Procedure can
term: security and to the other purposes of become very important.
the Organisation, and also to equi-
“The non-permanent members…shall The voting process is governed by
table geographical distribution.”
be elected for a term of two years.” rules 92, 93 and 94 of the Rules of
“Contribution to the maintenance of Procedure of the General Assembly.
The practical impact of rotation occur- international peace and security” is
ring every two years is mitigated by Under rule 92, elections to the Council
often interpreted in this context as
staggering the cycle, so that five are held by secret ballot. Nominations
leels of contribution to peacekeeping
members are elected each year by the are not required. Countries simply

Security Council Report One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, 885 Second Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10017 T:1 212 759 9429 F:1 212 759 4038 www.securitycouncilreport.org 
 SECURITY COUNCIL REPORT
SPECIAL RESEARCH REPORT
declare their intention to run, some- If neither candidate receives the obtaining in the first ballot the major-
times many years ahead, either by required majority in the second and ity required shall be elected...”
circular note to all members of the third ballots, rule 93 says that after
This rule would be applied if in the
United Nations or to the chair of their the third inconclusive ballot, votes
WEOG election two candidates obtain
regional grouping, or both. may be cast for “an eligible … Mem-
a two-thirds majority of votes in the
ber”. This allows new candidates to
Rule 93 sets out the procedure which first round of voting.
come into the process and the fourth
applies when there is only one vacancy
ballot is therefore technically referred Rule 94 also specifies that if additional
to be filled and no candidate obtains
to as an “unrestricted” ballot. (Also it rounds of voting are required, the pool
the required two-thirds majority in the
would allow any candidate excluded is reduced by a formula which says
first ballot. It provides:
after the first “restricted” ballot to come that remaining candidates should not
“…a second ballot shall be taken, back again.) be more than twice the number of
which shall be restricted to the two places available. This provision will
If a result is not achieved after three of
candidates obtaining the largest not impact the 2008 elections because
these “unrestricted” ballots, rule 93
number of votes…(i)f a two-thirds with two vacant seats and only three
requires that the pool again be
majority is required the balloting candidates there will never be more
reduced to the top two. This cycle then
shall be continued until one candi- than twice the number of candidates
repeats until a result is achieved.
date secures two thirds of the votes than places available.
cast...” The emergence of new candidates
during the “unrestricted” stage is rare,
What this first part of rule 93 means is
but not unprecedented. The most Annex 2:
that if there are more than two candi-
recent example took place in 2006 Historical Background
dates and no clear winner in the first
when Panama came in after 48 rounds
ballot, the lowest polling candidate In 1946, at the outset of the United
of inconclusive voting took place
drops out and the contest then contin- Nations, the UN Charter provided for
between Venezuela and Guatemala.
ues to a second ballot between the 11 members of the Security Council:
The longest period of voting was in
top two candidates. This first part of five permanent members and six
1979 when Cuba and Colombia went
this rule does not apply in the 2008 elected members.
to 155 rounds over a period of three
election as there is no scenario where
months before Mexico was brought in Article 23(2) included a provision that
there is one seat and more than two
as an alternative candidate. in the first election of non-permanent
candidates.
members, three members would be
In practice, what is more common is
The second part of rule 93 applies to chosen for a period of one year so that
that after a succession of inconclusive
the Asian seat if it goes into several in the future three new members could
ballots, and if a trend is starting to
rounds and to the WEOG seats if one be elected annually. This was decided
emerge in one direction, the candi-
seat is filled and voting continues in a by drawing lots for the one- and two-
date with fewer votes may withdraw.
situation where there are two candi- year terms.
dates and one seat. The effect of rule Rule 94 is similar to rule 93, but is
In the first election on 12 January 1946
93 is that voting simply continues until applied when there are two or more
the following countries were elected:
one candidate prevails, either by seats to be filled.
Brazil, Egypt, Mexico, the Netherlands,
securing the required majority or
“When two or more elective places Poland and Australia. The pattern of
because the other withdraws.
are to be filled at one time under the geographical distribution was:
same conditions, those candidates

10 Security Council Report One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, 885 Second Avenue, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10017 T:1 212 759 9429 F:1 212 759 4038 www.securitycouncilreport.org
 Latin America 2 the Philippines would withdraw but
that Yugoslavia would resign after one
Middle East 1 year, at which point the Philippines
Eastern Europe 1 would run as the only candidate for
that seat. Over the next few years
Western Europe 1 this became an increasingly common
Commonwealth 1 feature. For example, the 1960-61 seat
was shared between Poland and
The interpretation of what equitable Turkey, the 1962-63 term between
geographic distribution should mean Romania and the Philippines and
in terms of seats was based on an 1964-65 between Czechoslovakia
informal agreement among the per- and Malaysia.
manent members sometimes known By the early 1960s there was a grow-
as the London Agreement. From the ing acceptance that the original
start there was a lack of agreement composition of the Council had
on what had been agreed to. The become inequitable and unbalanced.
United States saw the 1946 formula Between 1945 and 1965 UN member-
as only applying to the first election, ship rose from 51 to 117 member
but the Soviet Union maintained that states, with the proportion of Asian,
there had been a gentlemen’s agree- African and Caribbean states increas-
ment of a more general nature on ing from 25 percent to about 50
the future meaning of geographic dis- percent. On 17 December 1963 the
tribution. General Assembly adopted resolution
Although the Charter clearly specifies 1991 A(XVIII) which contained amend-
a two-year term for non-permanent ments to the Charter addressing the
members of the Council, in addition to issue by increasing the number of
the 1946-47 period, split terms started elected members to ten. The resolu-
to occur in the late 1950s until the tion also dealt with the issue of
Council was enlarged in 1965. This geographic distribution, which was
was in part driven by fall-out from the resolved as follows:
disagreement over regional rotation n five from the African and Asian

and associated Cold War politics. But States (subsequently subdivided in

the aspirations of the newly indepen- practice into two seats for the Asian
dent countries were also an important Group and three seats for the
factor. The first example of this was African Group);
seen in 1955 when the Philippines and n one from Eastern European States;

Poland were in contest. After four n two from Latin American States

inconclusive ballots, Poland withdrew (included the Caribbean);

in favour of Yugoslavia. However, the n two from Western European States

stalemate continued and after two and Other States (included Austra-
months and over thirty rounds of lia, Canada and New Zealand). n
voting, it was informally agreed that

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 SECURITY COUNCIL REPORT
SPECIAL RESEARCH REPORT

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