United Nations Security Council election, 1998

Geographic distribution

In accordance with the General Assembly's rules for the geographic distribution of the non-permanent members of the Security Council, and established practice, the members were to be elected as follows: one from Africa, one from Asia, one from Latin American and the Caribbean Group (GRULAC), and two from the Western European and Others Group (WEOG).

Candidates

There was a total of six candidates for the five seats. In the African, Asian, and Latin American and Caribbean Groups, there was one candidate per group: Namibia, Malaysia, and Argentina, respectively. In the Western European and Others Group, the three candidates for the two seats were Canada, Greece, and the Netherlands.

Results

Voting proceeded by secret ballot. For each geographic group, each member state could vote for as many candidates as were to be elected. There were 176 ballots in each of the three elections.

Group A — African and Asian States (two to be elected)

Group B — Latin American and Caribbean States (one to be elected)

Group C — Western European and Others Group (two to be elected)

With Greece losing to Canada and the Netherlands, whom both acquired the requisite 2/3 majority, the final result was as follows: Argentina, Canada, Malaysia, Namibia, and the Netherlands were elected to the Security Council for two-year terms commencing 1 January 1999.