The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday elected Somalia to the 15-member U.N. Security Council for a two-year term starting in 2025.

The tiny Horn of Africa nation was among five countries that received the winning votes, alongside Denmark, Greece, Pakistan, and Panama.

“It is both symbolic and strong diplomatic status for Somalia to appear among the Security Council members and this will help Somalia to have a better access for member nations,” said Somalia analyst Abdiqafar Abdi Wardhere, who is based in Virginia.

For the first time in more than 50 years, he said, Somalia will have a vote on decisions regarding world conflicts.

“The Security Council is the only U.N. body that can make legally binding decisions such as imposing sanctions and authorizing use of force. Therefore, Somalia would get a vote that determines the world issues and resolutions,” Wardhere said.

Announcing the elections’ results, the U.N. General Assembly President Dennis Francis, said, “In a secret ballot, the elected countries secured the required two-thirds majority of Member States present and voting in the 193-member General Assembly.”

Following the news, the United Nations in Somalia congratulated the Somali government and its people “on their country’s election today to a seat on the UN Security Council for 2025-2026.”

“Somalia has come a long way over the past three decades on its path to peace, prosperity, and security,” said the UN Secretary-General’s Acting Special Representative for Somalia James Swan.