The Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan to the United Nations has organised an official ceremony for the installation of the national flags of the countries elected to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2019-2020. Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Indonesia, and South Africa have taken over as the Security Council's non-permanent members from Bolivia, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

The first ceremony of accession to the UNSC of the new non-permanent members was held at the initiative of Kazakhstan in January 2018, during its presidency of the Council. The UN member states noted that this new tradition was a “bright calling card” of Kazakhstan.

Previously, the changing of the flags of the UNSC's non-permanent members against the press wall in front of the Security Council Hall was of a purely technical nature. Since the introduction of this initiative, the procedure has turned into an official event attended by representatives of the UN member states and top-tier global media outlets.

“The solemn ceremony aims at demonstrating the recognition and respect to the new members of the UN Security Council. All 15 members of the Council unanimously confirmed that the ceremony would be an annual tradition of the UN Security Council,” Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to the UN Kairat Umarov noted.

Taking into consideration the significance of the event, the Ambassador noted the Kazakh delegation's commitment to continuing the tradition in the future. Mr. Umarov expressed his warmest wishes to the newly-appointed non-permanent UNSC members during their work towards the maintenance of global peace and security in the main UN body, calling it a unique opportunity and honour for any state to be a member of the Security Council.

To demonstrate deep respect to the UNSC and its members, the Permanent Mission of Kazakhstan presented bespoke stands for the flags of the Security Council member states, manufactured in Kazakhstan and made in the national style of the country.

The event was attended by the Foreign Minister of the Dominican Republic Miguel Vargas, the permanent representatives of Belgium, Germany, Indonesia, and South Africa, the permanent representatives of the states that have completed their missions to the UNSC alongside Kazakhstan, as well as representatives of other states, the UN Secretariat and international media.

Kazakhstan completed its two-year work as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council on 31 December 2018.

“The Qazaq Times”