Key Takeaways
- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to bid for a UN Security Council seat starting 2029.
- Australia's last term on the council ended in 2014, and it seeks to play a key role in global issues.
- The bid will compete against Finland for the 2029-30 seat from the Western European and Others Group.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced that his country will bid for a United Nations Security Council seat starting from 2029. This move aims to secure one of the two non-permanent seats available to Australia's bloc.
Albanese stated, 'Australia punches above our weight and we can have an impact on the world, and that’s what I want to see Australia do,' during a press conference in New York.
The bid comes as Australia seeks to play a more significant role in shaping global responses to issues that matter to its citizens, including rapid developments in artificial intelligence and the effects of climate change.
Albanese expressed confidence in securing strong support from Pacific island countries and Southeast Asia, noting his 'strong relationships' with world leaders would also aid the bid.
The UN Security Council has 10 non-permanent members, with five elected each year. Finland is the other nominee for the 2029-30 seat from the Western European and Others Group.
Voting to select the non-permanent members for the 2029-2030 term is expected to take place by secret ballot in 2028. The United States, China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom are the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
Despite his bid, Albanese's approval rating at home has slipped to its lowest level since he won his first term in 2022, according to a Newspoll conducted for The Australian newspaper and released on Monday.
Albanese emphasized that Australia's involvement in the UN Security Council is in its national interest, given the rapid developments in AI and the effects of climate change by the end of this decade.
'Australia punches above our weight and we can have an impact on the world, and that’s what I want to see Australia do,'
Anthony Albanese, Prime Minister of Australia
