The UN General Assembly on Tuesday elected Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia and Liberia to the Security Council for two-year terms starting next year.
Bahrain secured 186 votes, the DRC 183, Liberia 181, Colombia 180 and Latvia 178. All five nations ran uncontested in their respective regional groups but needed support from more than two thirds of the assembly. They will take up their roles on the Security Council on January 1 next year.
This will be Bahrain’s second term on the council. The country’s Foreign Minister, Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani, told reporters the vote reflected "unwavering trust and confidence" in Bahrain’s diplomatic efforts.
"This outcome not only validates our dedication to enhancing international peace and security, but also reinforces our determination to be a proactive contributor to these critical goals," Dr Al Zayani said.
Bahrain will be the Arab representative on the council, and Mr Al Zayani said his country’s election to the council reinforces its determination to be “a proactive contributor" to international peace and security.
He said that Gaza will definitely be on the agenda during the country’s time on the Security Council, as diplomatic efforts intensify around Palestinian statehood.
“Our goal is to fortify peace and stability within our region,” Mr Al Zayani said, stressing that resolving the decades-old Palestinian-Israeli conflict is “the cornerstone for achieving peace in the region.”
The immediate requirement, he said, is a ceasefire and massive influx of humanitarian aid into Gaza, the release of all hostages taken from Israel on October 7, 2023, and progress toward a two-state solution and “a viable state of Palestine.”
"Our diplomatic and political efforts are to increase the number of countries recognising the state of Palestine, and hopefully will provide all the support that we can to facilitate the success of dialogue and conferences," Dr Al Zayani told reporters.
He also voiced support for a coming peace conference co-chaired by Saudi Arabia and France.
"We wish all the best for the coming conference ... if the world unites on supporting a peaceful, political, diplomatic solution, I think it will be the great present for humanity," Dr Al Zayani said.
Bahrain, which normalised relations with Israel in 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords, has repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Gaza and a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The Security Council is the only UN body with the power to impose legally binding measures, including sanctions and the authorisation of military force. Its five permanent members – Britain, China, France, Russia and the US – hold veto power.
The newly elected members will replace Algeria, Sierra Leone, South Korea, Guyana and Slovenia when their terms expire at the end of 2025.
In another vote on Monday, the UN General Assembly elected former German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock as president for its 80th session, which begins in September.
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What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
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VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
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BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
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Distance covered: 160km
Temperature: -40°C
Weight of equipment: 45kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 0
Terrain: Ice rock
South Pole stats
Distance covered: 130km
Temperature: -50°C
Weight of equipment: 50kg
Altitude (metres above sea level): 3,300
Terrain: Flat ice
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The five pillars of Islam
