Irish leaders delighted at Ireland's return to UNSC
In this file photo taken on September 20, 2017 an official looks at the empty chairs of leaders ahead of their participation in an open debate of the United Nations Security Council in New York. The UN General Assembly on Wednesday elected India, Ireland, Mexico and Norway as non-permanent members of the Security Council for a two-year term.
Ireland’s return to the United Nations Security Council is a “recognition of our work on the world stage over decades,” said Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on Wednesday.
Varadkar made the remarks at a press briefing following the news that Ireland won a seat for a rotating two-year term on the UNSC in a vote cast earlier in the day at the UN General Assembly in New York.
“We did it! Congratulations Ireland, we are back on the UN Security Council! Well done to all the Irish team at the UN, in Ireland and around the world!” Varadkar tweeted prior to the press briefing.
In a news release, Irish President Michael D Higgins viewed the election of Ireland to the UNSC for the period 2021-2022 as a cause for celebration.
The UN General Assembly on Wednesday elected India, Ireland, Mexico and Norway as non-permanent members of the Security Council for a two-year term. The newly elected members of the Security Council will have a two-year term that begins on January 1, 2021.
The UNSC has 15 members, five of which, namely Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, are permanent ones. The 10 non-permanent seats of the Security Council are allocated by geographic region, with five replaced each year.
Ireland won rotating terms on the UNSC in 1962, 1981 and 2001 respectively, reported Ireland’s national radio and television broadcaster RTE.
