Composition of the Security Council

(as of January 2008)

The Council is composed of five permanent members — the Russian Federation, China, France, the United Kingdom and the United States — and ten non-permanent members (with year of term's end): Belgium (2008), Burkina Faso (2009), Costa Rica (2009), Croatia (2009), Indonesia (2008), Italy (2008), Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (2009), Panama (2008), South Africa (2008), Viet Nam (2009). Non-permanent members of the Security Council elected for a two-year term of office beginning on 1 January 2008: Burkina Faso, Costa Rica, Croatia, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya and Viet Nam.

The Presidency of the Security Council (the Russian Federation for March 2008) is held in turn by the members of the Security Council in the English alphabetical order of their names. Each President holds office for one calendar month.