PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — The Government of Trinidad and Tobago on Wednesday welcomed the country’s election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, describing the achievement as one that “will elevate our nation’s voice on the international stage”.

The Caribbean Community (Caricom) member state was officially elected by the United Nations General Assembly to serve a two-year term on the Security Council from 2027 to 2028. Trinidad and Tobago secured 181 votes, comfortably surpassing the required two-thirds majority.

Having run unopposed for the sole Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC) seat, Trinidad and Tobago will begin its term on January 1, 2027.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign and Caricom Affairs said the Security Council seat would provide “Trinidad and Tobago with a greater opportunity to contribute to discussions on global peace, security, development, and international cooperation”.

“It will also strengthen our country’s diplomatic standing, enhance our influence within the international community, and open new avenues for strategic partnerships and engagement with the rest of the world,” it added.

The statement noted that Trinidad and Tobago, which previously served on the Security Council during the 1985–1986 term, received the backing of all five permanent members of the council, namely the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines was the most recent Caricom nation to hold a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, serving from January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2021.