The United Nations Security Council has formally welcomed Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Latvia and Liberia as its five new non-permanent members for the 2026–2027 term.
The new members assume their seats at a time of heightened global tensions, with each country outlining priorities centered on peace, security and multilateral cooperation.
The Democratic Republic of Congo returns to the Council for the first time in 35 years, marking a significant diplomatic milestone. Congolese authorities said the country intends to play an active role in conflict prevention, resolution and the future of UN peacekeeping operations, drawing on its long experience as host to one of the UN’s largest peacekeeping missions, MONUSCO.
For Liberia, the development is equally historic. The West African nation joins the Security Council for the first time since 1961, pledging to promote consensus-building and uphold the principles of the UN Charter during its tenure.
The DRC and Liberia will serve alongside Somalia under the Council’s African Group for the two-year period.
Securing a seat on the Council carries particular significance for the DRC, as the country seeks stronger international engagement to help address ongoing conflict in its eastern regions, where fighting between Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and Congolese forces has persisted.
The five new members replace outgoing non-permanent states whose terms expired at the end of 2025, completing the 15-member body responsible for maintaining international peace and security.
