They join the five other non-permanent members (Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia) who will serve until the end of 2026, along with the five nations that have a constant presence: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The P5, as the permanent members are called, has veto power, allowing any of them to block the adoption of a substantive resolution, regardless of majority support.
What the Security Council does
Under the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council has the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. It is the only UN body whose decisions are legally binding on all member states.
It can investigate disputes, urge parties to resolve conflicts, impose sanctions, authorize peacekeeping operations and, in exceptional circumstances, approve the use of force. Its resolutions shape international responses to armed conflict, terrorism and nuclear proliferation.
The Council’s work takes place both in public and behind closed doors: open meetings allow Member States, the media and the public access to debates and briefings, while closed consultations give diplomats space to negotiate sensitive issues in private.
The Council has a meeting calendar, but can also call emergency sessions at short notice.
An open meeting of the Security Council. Its 15 members and the Secretary General seated at the iconic horseshoe-shaped table, along with a guest participant (far right).
Inside the Security Council Chamber
- The mural: A huge painting dominates the chamber, depicting a phoenix rising from the ashes as a symbol of renewal: humanity’s struggle from conflict to peace.
- The doors: The heavy wooden doors, inlaid with images of torches and swords (symbols of war), emphasize the Council’s responsibility to preserve peace.
- The horseshoe table: The curved table ensures that there is no head position, a symbol of formal equality, even as diplomatic power dynamics play out in practice.
Read more about the Chamber here.
Prestige and responsibility
Non-permanent members are elected annually by the 193-member General Assembly by secret ballot. Seats are allocated by regional group and candidates must obtain a two-thirds majority to win the election.
Membership involves considerable costs covering meetings, travel, logistics and staff. More than 50 UN member states have never served, underscoring the importance and capital of sitting: Latvia makes history this January by joining for the first time.
Countries that are not members of the Council may participate in discussions without voting when their interests are affected or when they are parties to a dispute under consideration.
Growing stagnation, vetoes
The new members take their seats amid growing geopolitical divisions, with deep disagreements over conflicts such as those in Ukraine and the Middle East increasingly limiting unified action.
This impasse is reflected in the increasing use of the veto.
In the years after the end of the Cold War, vetoes were rare, often one or two a year and sometimes none. Since the mid-2010s, hands have been raised inside the chamber more frequently: seven times in 2023 and eight times in 2024.
Diplomats often point to this trend as evidence of growing geopolitical divisions, which have made it more difficult to achieve consensus and limited the Council’s ability to respond decisively.
The seat of the President of the Security Council and the gavel used to hold its meetings.
Somalia in command
Each month, one member of the Council serves as president, a role that rotates in English alphabetical order among the 15 members. For January, it’s Somalia.
The Presidency sets the work programme, chairs meetings and issues statements on behalf of the Council. It is a role described as “wearing two hats” – acting as a neutral facilitator for the Council as a whole and as a representative of your own national government.
After a turbulent 2025 that saw an escalation of war and a reduction in resources, 2026 will test whether members can help build momentum and make room for decisive action, in a body increasingly shaped by entrenched positions.