By Mark Tanos
Somalia will assume the rotating presidency of the United Nations (UN) Security Council in January 2026, placing the war-torn African nation at the helm of the world’s top security body for one month. Somalia has been in a civil war since 1988, and is unable to maintain security in its own country.
The presidency rotates among all 15 council members according to Rule 18 of the Security Council’s Provisional Rules of Procedure, according to the UN. The rule requires member nations to hold the position in English alphabetical order, with each serving for one calendar month.
Somalia, located in the Horn of Africa, currently serves as a non-permanent member of the council. Its two-year term runs through Dec. 31, 2027.
As president, Somalia will set meeting agendas, preside over key sessions and guide debates on international peace and security, Garowe Online reported. The role is largely procedural rather than a grant of expanded authority. (RELATED: Trump Admin Reportedly Orders Dozens Of Ambassadors Home In Shakeup)
🇸🇴🇺🇳 SOMALIA TAKES UN SECURITY COUNCIL PRESIDENCY JAN 1 – AMERICANS JUST DISCOVERING HOW THE UN ACTUALLY WORKS
Somalia becomes president of the UN Security Council on January 1st.
Americans are losing their minds. “A country that can’t maintain its own security leads the… pic.twitter.com/8puaKROL0l
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 27, 2025
Diplomats expect Somalia to use the platform to advance African security priorities during its tenure, the outlet reported. Issues likely to feature include peacekeeping operations, counterterrorism efforts and humanitarian crises driven by conflict and climate shocks in the region.
The appointment comes as Somalia continues to battle Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda affiliate that controls significant territory within the country, according to the New Arab. The government in Mogadishu relies heavily on international support and foreign peacekeepers to maintain security in the capital.
Critics have seized on the contrast between Somalia’s internal instability and its temporary leadership of global security discussions. The rotation system, however, has functioned this way since 1946. Every council member receives the presidency regardless of domestic conditions.
Slovenia currently holds the presidency for December 2025. The United Kingdom follows Somalia in February 2026.
Countries that committed genocide and mass killings have been elected to the U.N. Human Rights Council.
