German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has expressed optimism about Germany’s chances of securing a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, despite stiff competition from Austria and Portugal.
“In campaigning for a two-year term on the most powerful UN body, I have received a great deal of support for the fact that Germany is a strong and audible voice for peace and security,” the country's top diplomat said during a visit to the United Nations in New York on Friday.
The new Security Council members will be elected by the General Assembly of the 193 member states on Wednesday.
Germany is standing in the “Western Europe and Others” regional group for the 2027–2028 term for one of the two allocated seats.
Berlin traditionally stands for one of the non-permanent seats every eight years and has already been represented on the Security Council six times, most recently in 2019-2020.
“We are now entering the home stretch of the election campaign. That is why we will once again mobilize all our resources,” Wadephul asserted. “When global crises are discussed, Germany wants to bring its influence to bear. That is appropriate for the world’s third-largest economy.”
The Security Council comprises 15 of the 193 UN member states. Five nuclear powers and victorious nations of World War II are permanent members and hold veto power: the US, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and France.
Other states take turns occupying the remaining 10 seats for two-year terms.