Vietnam was just elected to the United Nations Security Council 2020 - 2021 with 192/193 votes, highest in the UN history.

The 73^rd session of the UN General Assembly had conducted a vote on five non-permanent members of the UNSC for 2020-2021 on June 7.

Vietnam secures a seat on the Council with 192 positive votes while all 193 UN member states were presented and voted. The results was announed at 10:11 pm (Vietnam time).

Regardless of whether the election is contested, a country must obtain the votes of two-thirds of the member states present and voting at the General Assembly session in order to secure a seat on the Council. This means that a minimum of 129 positive votes are required to win a seat if all 193 UN member states are present and voting.

This will be the fourth Council election since its timing was brought forward from October to June. As a result, the incoming members enjoy a longer preparatory period, including three months of participation as observers in Council consultations of the whole, Council subsidiary bodies, and some informal Council meetings.

As the only candidate representing Asia-Pacific, Vietnam will replace Kuwait at the UNSC from January 1, 2020.

As one of the six major UN organs, the UN Security Council has 15 members, including five permanent and the remaining 10 ones with two-year tenures. It is the only UN organ to have the right to assess threats to peace and propose or decide on measures to restore global peace and security.

Vietnam first played the role of a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2008-2009 period. The country has made practical contributions such as presiding over the compilation and negotiations to help the council pass Resolution 1889 on women, peace and security, as well as launching an initiative to consult with other UN members to build the council’s annual report in a more comprehensive and pragmatic manner.

Vietnam was also one of the first 10 countries to ratify the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (Nuclear Weapon Ban Treaty).

Since 2014, Vietnam has sent forces to the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic and South Sudan./.

VNF