Australia Launches UN Security Council Bid

Australia has launched its bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations (UN) Security Council from 2029.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the campaign on Monday in New York.

He spoke on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Australia is seeking one of two non-permanent seats available to its bloc for the 2029-30 term.

Albanese said the seat would give Australia a chance to influence global decisions on issues affecting its people.

“Australia punches above our weight … and we can have an impact on the world, and that’s what I want to see Australia do,” he told reporters.

The prime minister said he expected strong support from Pacific island nations and Southeast Asian countries.

He also pointed to his relationships with other world leaders as an advantage for the campaign.

However, the bid comes as Albanese faces weaker approval ratings at home.

A Newspoll conducted for The Australian and released on Monday showed his approval rating had fallen to its lowest level since he won his first term in 2022.

Albanese said Australia’s national interests made a Security Council seat important.

He identified rapid developments in artificial intelligence and climate change as major global challenges by the end of the decade.

Australia last served a two-year term on the Security Council, which ended in 2014.

The UN Security Council has 10 non-permanent members. Five are elected each year.

Finland is also nominated for the 2029-30 seat from the Western European and Others Group.

Other regional groups, including Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean, will also put forward candidates.

The election is expected to take place by secret ballot in 2028.

The five permanent members of the Security Council are the United States, China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom.