Overview

• The General Assembly chose five uncontested candidates—Bahrain, Congo, Liberia, Colombia and Latvia—to replace Algeria, Guyana, South Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia when terms start in January 2026.
• Latvia will serve on the council for the first time since regaining independence, with Foreign Minister Baiba Braže highlighting its commitment to multilateral conflict resolution.
• Bahrain secured the Arab group seat for a second term and has pledged to push for Gaza ceasefires, humanitarian aid deliveries and progress toward a viable Palestinian state.
• Incoming members signaled plans to focus on major crises including Ukraine and Gaza while leveraging council tools to protect civilians and facilitate peace talks.
• Observers note that the council’s veto powers have hampered action in key conflicts and that decades of reform efforts have yet to secure broader permanent representation for regions such as Africa and Latin America.