http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2012/ga11308.doc.htm Sixty-seventh General Assembly General Assembly Plenary 33rd Meeting (AM) November 8, 2012 GENERAL ASSEMBLY ELECTS 18 MEMBERS OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL The General Assembly today elected 18 members of the Economic and Social Council to serve three-year terms beginning 1 January 2013. Those elected today were: Albania, Benin, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Haiti, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, Nepal, Netherlands, San Marino, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan and the United States. The 18 outgoing members were: Argentina, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Canada, Chile, Comoros, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Italy, Mongolia, Netherlands, Philippines, Rwanda, Slovakia, Ukraine, United States and Zambia. The new members were elected according to the following pattern: five from African States, four from Asia-Pacific States, two from Eastern European States, three from Latin American and Caribbean States and four from Western European and other States. Ahead of that action, the Assembly, in a by-election for the Western European and other States, decided that: Australia would relinquish its seat on the Council at the end of the year 2012 for the remaining term, in favour of New Zealand; that Germany would relinquish its seat on the Council in favour of Austria; that Finland would relinquish its seat on the Council in favour of Denmark; and that Switzerland would relinquish its seat on the Council, also at the end of the year 2012 for the remaining term, in favour of Sweden. The terms of office for Denmark, New Zealand and Sweden would begin on 1 January 2013 and end on 31 December 2013, while the term of office of Austria would begin on 1 January 2013 and end on 31 December 2014. As of 1 January 2013, the remaining States making up the 54-member body will be: Austria, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, China, Cuba, Denmark, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Gabon, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Lesotho, Libya, Malawi, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Senegal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United Kingdom. The General Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m. Monday, 12 November to hold various elections and appointments, including to the Human Rights Council. Voting Results for By-Election Western European and other States Number of ballot papers: 191 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 190 Abstentions: 3 Number of Members present and voting: 187 Required majority: 125 Number of votes obtained by country: Austria 132 New Zealand 132 Denmark 130 Sweden 129 San Marino 55 Netherlands 50 Canada 49 United States 49 Having obtained the required majority, Austria, Denmark, New Zealand and Sweden were elected members of the Economic and Social Council for a term of office beginning on 1 January 2013 and ending on 31 December 2013 for Denmark, New Zealand and Sweden, and 31 December 2014 for Austria. Voting Results for General Elections African States (5 Seats) Number of ballot papers: 192 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 192 Abstentions: 0 Number of Members present and voting: 192 Required majority: 128 Number of votes obtained by country: Benin 190 Mauritius 189 Tunisia 186 South Africa 183 Sudan 176 Asia -Pacific States (4 Seats) Number of ballot papers: 192 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 192 Abstentions: 0 Number of Members present and voting: 192 Required majority: 128 Number of votes obtained by country: Kuwait 180 Kyrgyzstan 164 Turkmenistan 140 Nepal 131 Saudi Arabia 128 Bahrain 1 Cambodia 1 Eastern European States (2 Seats) Number of ballot papers: 192 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 191 Abstentions: 1 Number of Members present and voting: 190 Required majority: 127 Number of votes obtained by country: Croatia 185 Albania 184 Latin American and Caribbean States (3 Seats) Number of ballot papers: 192 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 191 Abstentions: 0 Number of Members present and voting: 191 Required majority: 128 Number of votes obtained by country: Bolivia 186 Colombia 186 Haiti 186 Western European and other States (4 Seats) Number of ballot papers: 192 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 192 Abstentions: 3 Number of Members present and voting: 189 Required majority: 126 Number of votes obtained by country: San Marino 184 Netherlands 179 Canada 174 United States 171 Norway 1 Andorra 1 Finland 1 Having obtained the required two thirds majority, the following 18 States were elected members of the Economic and Social Council for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2013: Albania, Benin, Bolivia, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Haiti, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Mauritius, Nepal, Netherlands, San Marino, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan and the United States.