Monday, 02 January 2017 17:14
Ethiopia officially commenced the two year tenure on the United Nations Security Council yesterday, on Sunday January 1. Ethiopia replaced Angola as Africa’s representative after winning the non-permanent seat in June 2016.
Ethiopia’s election was by a landslide vote of 185 out of 190 votes. The five permanent members of the UNSC are the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, China and France, and 10 non-permanent members. The other five members that complete the members composition are Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay. Ethiopia is joined by Bolivia, Italy, Kazakhstan and Sweden.
Ethiopia despite suffering from protests as a result of anti-government sentiments in two main regions – Oromo and Amhara, has been a strong force in mediating in the South Sudan political crisis and in neighbouring Somalia.
They are also in the forefront of the regional peace and security group, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The country is currently under a 6-month state of emergency aimed at quelling the protests.