LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta was elected member of the United Nations Security Council for a period of two years starting on January, 1. The Mediterranean island secured the two-year term following an election among 190 voting member states. Malta got 185 votes – 97% of the total number of voting member states, with two abstentions and no incalid votes. Malta will be following three important principles: security, sustainability and solidarity. Malta will join nine other non-permanent members, with Switzerland, Ecuador, Japan and Mozambique all elected on Thursday. The other non-permanent members are Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, and the United Arab Emirates.
The security council is made up of five permanent members – the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China – and 10 elected, non-permanent members each serving two-year terms. As a non-permanent member of the Security Council, Malta is part of a group of ten other countries that take part in the discussion and have the right to vote but not the right of veto.
Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela tweeted “honoured to see Malta elected with a strong vote.” He added that this will offer Malta “a significant opportunity to contribute to the maintenance of global peace and security.”
Maltese Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg thanked all the countries that voted for Malta and reassured that Malta believes in the need for international peace and “truly embraces and will continue to safeguard the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter”. He added “we are determined to contribute towards preserving multilateral processes and building the confidence and political will needed to meet the challenges we face today. As staunch supporters of multilateralism, we have fundamental interest to maintain international order based on the important rule, that power and potency do not prevail over the rule of law. This is vital for everyone, including small states such as Malta”.
Malta has been elected on the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member for the first time since 1983.

foto: xf3

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews