The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is considered the UN’s most vital subsidiary body responsible for, essentially, achieving world peace – and Australia has just rejoined as an official part of the peace-making!
Over night Australia won a seat on the UNSC, easily securing the required number of votes from the General Assembly to join the table as one of the 10 non-permanent members that make up the Council. Australia will begin a two year stint as of January 2013, with new members Argentina, Rwanda, Luxembourg and South Korea, who also secured temporary regional positions overnight.
The new members will join permanent Council representatives the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China and will weigh in on matters of international security like the distribution of economic sanctions, investigating threats to international peace, and authorising military action where necessary. Basically, it’s a highly regarded position in international relations and means Australia’s perspective on peace-keeping is a valuable, respected one.
Foreign Minister Bob Carr saw the result as a huge victory, telling ABC news reporter Tony Eastley: “We invested under $25 million, a little under $25 million over five years and if we had lost I would have argued that that was money well spent because it brought diplomats at the UN to Australia – over 100 of them, over 100 UN ambassadors to Australia – who saw our multiculturalism, the sophistication of our and competitiveness of our economy and the impressive style of Australian cities and had a different image of our country as a result.”
Senator Carr said, “We will speak up for the interests of middle powers and small powers. We have a mandate to do that.”
Nice one Australia! Applause-themed GIF party time!
