Africa: Somalia wins a seat on the African Union Peace and Security Council

Somalia is among the ten countries whose representatives have secured a seat on the African Union’s Peace and Security Council. Other members who will serve two-year terms on the Council include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Uganda, Morocco, Lesotho, South Africa, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone.

This is the first time that Somalia has sat on the continent’s main peace and security body, and the results of the vote at the ongoing 39th African Union Summit give this Horn of Africa country direct access to African Union systems for drafting decisions on conflict prevention, mediation and regional stability, and indicate growing diplomatic attraction after years of internal security challenges.

Somalia also currently represents Africa in the United Nations Security Council.

The competition in the council elections was reshaped after Kenya and Rwanda withdrew their nominations days before foreign ministers met in Addis Ababa, narrowing what was considered one of the most competitive regional races at the summit.

Somali Foreign Minister Abdel Salam Ali said in a tweet after today’s vote, “Grateful to the member states of the African Union for their trust and to the East African region for its solidarity.” “This is a historic precedent for Somalia,” he added, pledging that Somalia would work “responsibly and with determination to promote peace, security and African unity.”