Belarus was denied a spot on the United Nations Security Council Tuesday as five other nations joined the rotational ranks, granting them voting powers for the next two years.
Algeria, Guyana, Sierra Leone and South Korea won the top spots after running unopposed with their terms set to begin on Jan. 1, 2024.
Slovenia, which ran against Belarus, beat out the Russia-aligned nation in an overwhelming defeat, securing 153 votes from the UN General Assembly to Belarus’ 38 votes.
Tanja Fajon, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, holds a press briefing after the UN Security Council elections in New York, United States on June 6, 2023. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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By December 2021 Slovenia entered the UN Security Council race against Belarus, reported Reuters.
Belarus has since been one of the few nations to back Russia in its deadly invasion of Ukraine and last month allowed Russia to move forward with a plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons within its borders.
But opposition to Belarus’ appointment by the General Assembly was not a guarantee after it elected Iran — which has also been a top Russia supporter in its war efforts in Ukraine — to a vice presidential role on the General Committee for the 78th session set to begin in September.
Reuters contributed to this report.