Somalia takes over UN Security Council leadership
The rotating presidency role took effect on 1 January 2026.
Somalia has officially taken over the United Nations Security Council Presidency, marking a significant milestone in its growing global prominence.
The Horn of Africa country is expected to lead the Security Council’s affairs for the month of January, presiding over meetings and work agenda in the body, which is charged with the responsibility of maintaining international peace and security.
Somalia’s UN Security Council presidency will be headed by its Permanent Representative to the UN, Abukar Osman, succeeding Slovenia’s Samuel Žbogar.
In a statement, the Somali Mission to the UN said, during its presidency, Somalia will facilitate "constructive and inclusive dialogue."
International peace
It said that it is "guided by a deep sense of duty to uphold international peace and security" and that it will prioritize "transparent, efficient, and consensus-driven working methods."
The rotating presidency role, which took effect on 1 January 2026, comes following Somalia's election into the 15-member UN Security Council as a non-permanent member last year.
Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo were other African countries elected for a two-year term, starting 1 January 2026.
Despite its significance, the presence of African countries as non-permanent members falls short of the continent's demand.
Veto power
For decades, African countries have demanded permanent seats with veto power, criticising the current arrangement as "unfair" to the continent.
The only five countries with permanent seats and veto power in the Security Council are: the United States, Britain, France, Russia, and China.
This is the first time Somalia is holding the UN Security Council Presidency in 55 years, having presided over the council in 1971.
The latest development is seen by observers as another strong sign of Mogadishu's re-emergence following years of internal armed conflicts and natural disasters.
However, it comes at a critical moment amid tensions between Somalia and the US, with the Trump administration targeting people of Somali descent in the US.
Similarly, there has been global outrage over Israel’s recent recognition of Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as an independent state, with Mogadishu saying it violates its sovereignty and territorial integrity.