A campaign by the United States to deny Sudan a seat on the Security Council paid off, when Mauritius was elected by the UN general assembly to represent Africa for two years. Mauritius will replace Namibia, one of five elected members of the Council whose two-year term ends on January 1, 2001. Other new members are Colombia and Singapore, both elected unopposed, Ireland, an easy first-ballot win, and Norway, which squeaked in with the precise number of votes needed on the fourth round. They will replace Argentina, Malaysia, Canada and the Netherlands respectively.
The United States expressed satisfaction at the outcome of the voting. “We felt that Sudan was uniquely unqualified for the seat and that Mauritius, on the other hand, would be an excellent representative for Africa, and we look forward to working with them on the Council,” State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said.
Bureau Report