Bahrain Begins Term as Non-Permanent Member of the UN Security Council

As of January 2026, Kingdom of Bahrain has formally taken its seat as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, marking a significant milestone in the Kingdom’s diplomatic engagement at the international level.

Bahrain will serve a two-year term on the Council, joining Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia and Liberia as newly elected members. Their accession follows the conclusion of the mandates of Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia at the end of 2025.

Through this membership, Bahrain joins ten non-permanent members serving alongside the Council’s five permanent members — China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States — who hold veto power over substantive resolutions, regardless of majority support.

What the Security Council does Under the UN Charter, the Security Council has primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. It is the only UN body whose decisions are legally binding on all Member States.

It can investigate disputes, urge parties to resolve conflicts, impose sanctions, authorise peacekeeping operations and – in exceptional circumstances – approve the use of force. Its resolutions shape international responses to armed conflicts, terrorism and nuclear proliferation.

The Council’s work unfolds both in public and behind closed doors: open meetings allow Member States, the media and the public, access to debates and briefings, while closed consultations give diplomats space to negotiate sensitive issues privately. The Council has a calendar of meetings but can also convene emergency sessions at short notice.

Bahrain’s Role at the Heart of Global Peace and Security

Non-permanent members of the Security Council are elected by the UN General Assembly through a competitive and highly selective process, requiring a two-thirds majority vote. Membership entails significant diplomatic, logistical and financial

commitments, underscoring the importance of Bahrain’s election and readiness to shoulder global responsibilities.

During its term, Bahrain will contribute to discussions on conflict prevention, peacekeeping operations, sanctions regimes, counter-terrorism efforts and responses to emerging global crises. Council members engage in both open meetings, accessible to the wider UN membership and media, and closed consultations where sensitive diplomatic negotiations take place.

Bahrain’s participation also allows it to raise perspectives from its regional context while working within a multilateral framework to promote dialogue, stability and cooperation.

Serving Amid Global Divisions

Bahrain begins its term at a time of heightened geopolitical tension, with divisions among major powers increasingly affecting the Council’s ability to act unanimously. Conflicts in regions such as Ukraine and the Middle East, alongside the expanded use of vetoes by permanent members in recent years, have underscored the challenges facing the body.

Against this backdrop, Bahrain’s role will involve navigating complex diplomatic dynamics while supporting efforts to uphold international law, multilateral cooperation and peaceful conflict resolution.

Somalia at the helm

Each month, one Council member serves as President, a role that rotates in English alphabetical order among the 15 members. For January, it is Somalia.

The Presidency sets the programme of work, chairs meetings and issues statements on behalf of the Council. It is a role described as “wearing two hats”: acting both as a neutral facilitator for the Council as a whole and as a representative of their own national government.

After a turbulent 2025 that saw escalating warfare and shrinking resources, 2026 will test whether members can help build momentum and open space for decisive action, in a body increasingly shaped by entrenched positions.