Sobers: T&T confident of securing UN Security Council seat

Akash Samaroo

Trinidad and Tobago has the support of more than 100 nations, including CARICOM member states, in its bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council for the 2027–2028 term, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Sean Sobers said in the Senate on Wednesday.

The country has officially declared its candidacy for the seat, which falls under the Latin American and Caribbean Group allocation.

The secret ballot vote is scheduled for June 3, 2026, during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Just before the Senate adjourned on Wednesday evening, Opposition Senator Dr Amery Browne called on the Government to update Parliament on the bid, raising concerns that recent foreign policy decisions may have weakened the confidence of the country’s international partners.

Browne said the Security Council has the authority to impose sanctions and take action to maintain or restore international peace and security, and questioned whether the Government was equipped to exercise that responsibility.

He said a seat on the council for a small island developing state such as Trinidad and Tobago requires an independent voice that advances the interests of the wider CARICOM region rather than serving as, in his words, a “vassal of another voice”.

Browne said the country must carry the voice of CARICOM, CELAC, and the Organisation of American States in international forums, and speak for victims of conflict rather than those responsible for it.

Responding soon after in the Upper House, Sobers said he made no apology for Trinidad and Tobago’s alignment with the United States and the Donald Trump administration.

He defended the Government’s position on transnational crime and narcotics trafficking, saying there was nothing wrong with strongly condemning narco-terrorism and narco-trafficking in multilateral forums such as the United Nations General Assembly.

Sobers also insisted the country has the support needed to secure the seat.

He told senators that Trinidad and Tobago’s bid is currently uncontested within the GRULAC region and reaffirmed that CARICOM’s support remains in place.

The minister said the country also has the backing of more than 100 UN member states, including regional groupings.

Sobers said that while the Government remains committed to its “Trinidad and Tobago first” policy, the country would represent the interests of the wider region if elected.

He said the priorities guiding Trinidad and Tobago’s role would include respect for regional and international law, security, protection of vulnerable communities, and addressing emerging threats such as the illicit trafficking of small arms, light weapons, and artificial intelligence.

The United Nations Security Council comprises 15 members, including five permanent members with veto power and ten non-permanent members elected for two-year terms.

It is the only UN body empowered to issue legally binding resolutions and is responsible for maintaining international peace and security through measures including sanctions, peacekeeping missions, and authorised military action.