Ghana Joins UN Security Council

... Ghana was a member in 1963, 1986 and 1987
United Nations, Dec 31 -- Ghana will join the 15-member Security Council as a non permanent member on January one for a two-year term. Congo, Peru, Qatar and Slovakia will be the other 4 countries to join.

They will replace Algeria, Benin, Brazil, Philippines and Romania who retire at the completion of their two-year term.

The Council has five permanent members --the United States, Britain, Russia, France and China-- and ten permanent members, five of whom retire each year and their replacements are elected by the 191-member General Assembly on regional basis.

Japan, Denmark, Greece, Argentina and Tanzania will continue to be its non permanent members till December 31, 2006.

From January one, the composition of the Council would comprise United States, Britain, Russia, France and China (permanent members with veto), Japan Denmark, Greece, Argentina and Tanzania, whose two-year term will end on December 31 2006, and Congo, Ghana, Peru, Qatar and Slovakia whose term expires on December 31, 2007.

Since 1965, the UN Security Council has included 10 elected (non-permanent) members. To ensure geographical equality, five members are African or Asian states, one is an eastern European state, two are Latin American or Caribbean states, and two are Western European or other states. From 1946 to 1965, the security council included six non-permanent members.