Online Reporter
Innocent Madonko and Zvamaida Murwira
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has described as a “significant diplomatic milestone” Zimbabwe’s huge victory that secured the country a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) during elections held at the UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday.
Zimbabwe garnered 182 out of 190 votes, the highest by any contesting country for the 2027-2028 term, to bring the curtain down on a hugely successful campaign.
The election is also a ringing endorsement of the country’s engagement and re-engagement anchor foreign policy, whose mantra is “friend to all and enemy to none”.
The victory by Zimbabwe completes a two-week eventful period for the Zimbabwe delegation led by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira, which has been at the UN headquarters in New York, strengthening Harare’s bid in a campaign that was launched by President Mnangagwa last year.
Other countries that were elected as new non-permanent members of the UNSC on Wednesday are Austria, Portugal and Trinidad and Tobago. They will serve a two-year term beginning January 1, 2027.
Permanent members of the UNSC are Russia, China, the United States, France and the United Kingdom. They all hold veto powers.
Wednesday’s victory marked the third time in which Zimbabwe has served as a non-permanent member of the UNSC after it held a seat on the powerful body in 1983-1984 and 1991-1992.
Writing on his X handle on Wednesday, President Mnangagwa hailed the nation’s momentous victory.
“Today, Zimbabwe marks a significant diplomatic milestone as the nation has been elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, garnering 182 out of 190 votes,” he said.
“This resounding victory underscores the effectiveness of our Engagement and Re-engagement agenda, demonstrating the global community’s confidence in Zimbabwe’s leadership and commitment to international peace.”
President Mnangagwa said as Zimbabwe assumes its seat on the global stage, the country is poised to contribute meaningfully to international peace, security and multilateral cooperation, championing a fairer and more equitable global order while amplifying Africa’s voice.
“I extend my sincere gratitude to the UN Member States for their support and to our diplomatic team for this outstanding achievement. Zimbabwe is open for business and now plays a pivotal role in shaping global peace,” he said.
Commenting on the election victory by telephone from New York, Prof Murwira said it was a huge endorsement of President Mnangagwa’s pillar on foreign policy of being a “friend to all and enemy to none”.
“It’s a very humbling result. 182 countries voted for Zimbabwe, which was the highest of all the votes that we counted today (Wednesday). And it’s a big endorsement of Zimbabwe’s policy of being a friend to all and an enemy to none. So, I want to congratulate His Excellency, the President, Dr Mnangagwa, for leading this campaign and making sure that Zimbabwe got the record vote that we got. We are really very humbled and we take this responsibility very seriously,” said Prof Murwira.
He said Zimbabwe was looking forward to working with all countries in the world.
“This is a time for celebration, but it’s actually a time for responsibility. We are looking forward to working very well with all members of the Security Council and representing 8,3 billion people in this world, who are expecting peace, tranquillity and living together in harmony and making sure that the whole world trusts the decisions that we make, which must be considerate and according to the UN Charter,” he said.
As a country, said Prof Murwira, Zimbabwe was excited by the victory.
“Zimbabwe is really thrilled. I am sure Africa is thrilled, and the world is thrilled by this result. We take it very humbly, and we’ll make sure that we do our best to ensure that this world becomes a tranquil place of peace, security and human dignity,” he said.
The victory follows an extensive diplomatic campaign led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade under President Mnangagwa’s engagement and re-engagement agenda, which has focused on strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations across the world.
Zimbabwe’s successful bid was underpinned by high-level lobbying missions across Africa, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific, as the country sought support for its candidature to the United Nations’ principal body responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security.
Over recent years, Zimbabwe has intensified diplomatic outreach efforts; expanding partnerships and increasing its participation in regional and global forums, while advancing positions centred on peace, sustainable development, multilateralism and respect for national sovereignty.
The election is also being viewed as recognition of the country’s contribution to regional peace initiatives, climate diplomacy, peacekeeping operations and broader multilateral cooperation. As a member of the Security Council, Zimbabwe will participate directly in deliberations and decisions on international peace and security, including conflict resolution, peacekeeping missions, humanitarian responses and global security challenges.
The country is expected to advance positions aligned with its longstanding foreign policy principles, including the peaceful resolution of disputes, respect for sovereignty, non-interference in internal affairs, sustainable development and equitable international cooperation.
Zimbabwe’s election also carries wider significance for Africa, which has consistently advocated for greater representation within global governance institutions.
The country’s presence on the Security Council is expected to strengthen African voices calling for a more inclusive and representative international system.
The successful bid received strong backing from Southern Africa, the African Union and partners across the Global South, whose support proved instrumental in securing the required votes.
Analysts say Security Council membership presents an opportunity for Zimbabwe to deepen international engagement, strengthen bilateral relations and expand strategic partnerships with countries and institutions around the world.
The election of non-permanent UNSC members takes place through a secret ballot in the UN General Assembly Hall.
