General Assembly Elects Bahrain, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, Liberia Non-Permanent Security Council Members, Proclaims 11 July World Horse Day
The General Assembly today elected Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia and Liberia as non-permanent members of the Security Council for a two-year term beginning on 1 January 2026.
All five candidates obtained the required two-thirds majority in a secret ballot and will replace Algeria, Guyana, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, and Slovenia, whose terms expire on 31 December 2025.
In accordance with the established pattern of regional distribution, three seats were allocated for the African and Asia-Pacific States. The endorsed candidates — Bahrain, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Liberia — obtained 186, 183, and 181 votes, respectively. Latvia, the sole candidate for the Eastern European States, garnered 178 votes, and Colombia, the sole candidate for the Latin American and Caribbean States, secured 180 votes.
The newly elected members will join the Security Council alongside the five permanent members — China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States — and the five current non-permanent members — Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia — whose terms run through the end of 2026.
World Horse Day
In other action, the Assembly adopted a draft resolution proclaiming 11 July as World Horse Day. However, a concern was raised about the growing number of international observances and the operational and financial burden they place on Member States and the United Nations Secretariat.
The text (document A/79/L.89), adopted by a recorded vote of 169 in favour to 1 against (United States), with no abstentions, invites Member States and other stakeholders to observe the Day every year, through activities aimed at raising awareness about the economic and social importance of the horse and the equine industry.
Introducing the draft, the representative of Mongolia described the horse as “one of the most important animals in human history” and pointed to its role in transportation, agriculture, farming and mining, as well as recreational fields such as horse-racing and tourism. But the number of horses, horse breeds and the horse industry are declining due to changes in lifestyles, technological advancements, economic fluctuations and environmental factors. Highlighting the sacred place that horses hold in his country’s pastoral nomadic culture, he said that it has one of the largest horse populations in the world. The text aims to encourage concrete actions to support the equine industry and conserve horse cultural heritage.
The United States’ delegate called for a vote on the draft, expressing concern about its preambular reference to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Agenda “impinges upon State sovereignty as a soft form of global governance”, she said.
Following the vote, the speaker for Mexico acknowledged the horse’s “undeniable links with rural communities, Indigenous Peoples and myriad cultural expressions”. However, while it is important to establish these ties, she stressed that “these actions can be conducted without proclaiming an international day”. Pointing to a “worrying proliferation of such proposals”, she recalled that a total of 27 international days and eight international years have been established over the General Assembly’s last two sessions. These involve operational, financial and time burdens for both delegations and the Secretariat, and she urged those present to “contemplate the balance between symbolism and functionality in the work of this General Assembly”.
Draft Resolution on Status of Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia
Also taking a vote today was a resolution concerning “Status of internally displaced persons and refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia, and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia” (document A/79/L.90) which was adopted by a recorded vote of 107 in favour to 9 against (Belarus, Cuba, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Sudan, Zimbabwe), with 49 abstentions.
By its terms, the Assembly recognized the right of return of all internally displaced persons and refugees and their descendants, regardless of ethnicity, to their homes throughout Georgia, including in Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia. Further terms stressed the need to respect the property rights of all internally displaced persons and refugees affected by the conflicts in Georgia, to develop a timetable to ensure their voluntary and safe return and to refrain from obtaining property in violation of their rights. The text also called upon all participants in the Geneva International Discussions to intensify their efforts to establish a durable peace.
Georgia’s Representative Introduces Text
Introducing that text, the representative of Georgia said its core objective is to address the humanitarian plight of internally displaced persons and refugees who were forced to flee from their homes during successive waves of ethnic cleansing starting in the 1990s and culminating with the full-scale military aggression against his country in August 2008. Ethnic Georgians continue to endure, in both occupied regions, various forms of discrimination, from arbitrary detention to linguistic restrictions, he said. “This resolution is not directed against any party, nor does it seek to assign blame for the circumstances that led to the forced displacement,” he stressed, adding that when introducing this resolution every year, “we leave politics aside and focus exclusively on the humanitarian dimension of the problem”.
Russian Federation’s Representatives Says Text Is ‘Purely Political’
However, the Russian Federation’s delegate, speaking in explanation of position before the vote, said the draft is “purely political” and intended to block dialogue. This annual text hampers progress in the Geneva International Discussions, which provide a unique platform for direct dialogue, she said. In August 2008, the Mikheil Saakashvili regime launched an attack on South Ossetia, violating all existing agreements and destroying efforts to establish peaceful dialogue, she said, adding that this created a wave of refugees, and undid all previous efforts to find peaceful solutions.
Her country recognizes the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, she said, adding that Georgia is seeking to shift attention away from the fact that its own actions caused the influx of refugees. Those actions were the outcome of “certain directives that came from the outside”, she said, also noting the hypocrisy of European States who co-sponsored the texts — while they are indifferent to the thousands of refugees dying in the Mediterranean, they have suddenly become concerned about the status of refugees in Georgia and Ossetia.
Speaking in explanation of position before vote, Venezuela’s delegate expressed concern about attempts “to instrumentalize the General Assembly to attack fully-fledged Member States of this organ” and “to use the General Assembly as a platform to champion resolutions which lack the necessary consensus”. This is exacerbating tensions, she said, calling on the proponents of the draft to avoid politicized approaches.
“Brazil’s abstention is not — and must not — be interpreted as indifference to the plight of internally displaced persons in Georgia,” that country’s delegate said, also expressing support for Georgia’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. However, he stressed, the Assembly “should not prejudge or interfere in the course of specific negotiations still under way within the framework of the Geneva International Discussions”.
One of the core tasks of those Discussions, the representative of the European Union, speaking in its capacity as observer, noted, is addressing the issue of refugees and internally displaced persons. Recalling that humanitarian access is stipulated in the six-point agreement from 12 August 2008, she underlined the importance of peacebuilding activities and regretted that so far no progress has been achieved on these issues.
Concerns Raised over Continued Suffering of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
She was among several speakers who reaffirmed the rights of refugees and internally displaced persons from Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/South Ossetia. Despite numerous General Assembly resolutions, said the representative of Lithuania, also speaking for Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Norway and Sweden, no major progress has been made on their right of return. Further, the Russian Federation and the de facto authorities of these regions have implemented discriminatory policies, including defining displaced Georgians as “foreigners” or “Stateless” and issuing restrictive residency permits. He emphasized that this situation must be viewed within the broader international context of the Russian Federation’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and military presence in Georgia and the Republic of Moldova.
The representative of Japan, expressing concern over the continued suffering caused by prolonged forced displacement since “the military operation in 2008”, underscored: “We strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to change internationally recognized borders by force.” He also underlined the international community’s responsibility to protect internally displaced persons and refugees in conflict-affected regions.
The representative of the United Kingdom condemned the launch of direct flights between the Russian Federation and Abkhazia in May as “the latest in a series of steps designed to extend Russian control over Georgia’s regions”. She emphasized that today’s resolution is “a vital mechanism for demonstrating solidarity with the Georgian people and all internally displaced people worldwide”.
Canada’s delegate, also speaking for Australia and New Zealand, voiced support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders. Calling out the Russian Federation “for its role in creating instability in Georgia”, he said that country has consistently carried out acts of aggression against its neighbours, including its illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking after the vote, the representative of Israel underlined her country’s “full and unequivocal support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia with regard to the regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali”. Noting that Israel supports initiatives aimed at promoting confidence-building measures and resilience — including through joint capacity-building projects in areas such as agriculture — she said: “We believe that the path to resolving long-standing conflicts lies in a negotiated, mutually agreed approach.”