Awramba Times (Addis Ababa) – Ethiopia has today won the bid for non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), 185 out of 190 UN member States have voted in favour of Ethiopia’s membership at the UNSC.
Ethiopia’s bid came following the unanimous endorsement at the 26th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of African Heads of State and Government, held from 30-31 January 2016 in Addis Ababa and Ethiopia hereafter announced its bid for a non–permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for 2017–18.
Politicians and analysts whom Awramba Times spoke to considered it as one of Ethiopia’s major diplomatic achievements.
“Ethiopia will be part decision making process of global matters”, said Alula Solomon, former lecturer of Mekelle university and current PhD candidate at the university of Maryland. “like peacekeeping missions, resolving conflicts, mandate cease fire and imposing economic sanctions and so on, that are watched and handled by the UN Security Council” he added.
Ewnetu Bilata, special adviser to the prime minister of Ethiopia, on his part says Ethiopia’s membership has a number of advantages. He stressed that it is also a showcase for the nation’s role in a world peace keeping mission will be recognized as it should be.
“as the second most populous nation in Africa our voice would be heard at the international arena and we would represent the region and the Continent at large “. Ewnetu responded to Awramba Times “we can use the opportunity to protect our national interest in this volatile region of the world as a result the sanctions on Eritrean regime will remain as it’s now” Ewnetu underlined.
The UN security council is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations, charged with the maintenance of international peace and security as well as accepting new members to the United Nations and approving any changes to its UN charter.
Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military actions through security council resolutions: it is; the only UN body with the authority to issue binding resolutions to member states.
Each year, the UN General Assembly elects five non permanent members (out of ten in total) for a two-year term. The ten non-permanent seats are distributed on a regional basis: five for African and Asian countries; one for Eastern European countries; two for Latin American and Caribbean countries; two for Western European and other countries.
Ethiopia is now the second largest contributor to UN peace keeping operations and the largest in Africa. Also a major contributor to the African Union Mission on Somalia (AMISOM) and is an active participant in the establishment of the East African Standby Force, to which it is contributing one of the five contributions to the 5,000 strong unit.
In all these peacekeeping missions, Ethiopia has received substantial continental and international recognition and commendation for the effective execution of ongoing peace keeping and peace-building operations.
