West Africa: ECOWAS Heads of State and Governments Endorse Liberia's Candidacy for UN Security Council Membership

11 July 2023
FrontPageAfrica (Monrovia)
By Lennart Dodoo

Bissau, Guinea — Bissau - The Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have unanimously supported Liberia's bid for a Non-Permanent Member seat on the United Nations Security Council for the term 2026 to 2027.

During the 63rd Ordinary Session of Heads of State in Guinea-Bissau, President George M. Weah expressed Liberia's interest in becoming a Non-Permanent Member of the UN Security Council.

In a communiqué delivered by Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, on Sunday, July 9, 2023, it was announced that Liberia would receive the full backing of the ECOWAS bloc in its pursuit of this position at the United Nations.

The communiqué, which was signed by Dr. Omar Alieu Touray and approved by H.E. Gen. Umaro Sissoco Embalo, the President of Guinea Bissau and the immediate former Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, emphasized that Liberia's candidacy had been officially endorsed during the ECOWAS Summit held in Bissau, Guinea Bissau.

It was also confirmed that Guinea-Bissau's candidacy for a Non-Permanent Membership to the UN for the term 2027 to 2028 would be subsequently endorsed after Liberia.

The United Nations Security Council consists of 15 member countries, including five permanent members - China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States - who possess veto power over resolutions and decisions. The remaining 10 seats are non-permanent and are filled through elections conducted by the General Assembly, in line with geographical distribution by region. Candidates must secure a two-thirds majority, or 128 votes, even if they run uncontested.

The elections for the non-permanent seats, including the one for the West Africa region, are scheduled to be held in June 2025 at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

In related news, Nigeria has been elected as the Chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.

The ECOWAS Commission and its President, Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, expressed confidence that Liberia's endorsement by ECOWAS would strengthen the representation of the West Africa region in the United Nations Security Council and contribute to promoting peace, security, and development in the international arena.

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