The flag laying ceremony of Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates was held outside the UN Security Council hall on the 4th, marking the beginning of the five countries to perform their duties as non permanent members of the Security Council. The 4th is the first working day of the Security Council in 2022. Ilyasov, permanent representative of Kazakhstan to the United Nations, presided over the flag laying ceremony on the same day. The rotating president of the Security Council this month and the permanent representative of Norway to the United Nations, jure, delivered a speech to welcome the new members of the Security Council. The permanent representatives of the five countries to the United Nations made brief speeches and successively placed their national flags on the flag holders presented by Kazakhstan. Albania and other five countries succeeded Estonia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Niger, Tunisia and Vietnam as non permanent members of the Security Council from January 1. The other five non permanent members of the Security Council are India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico and Norway. The UN Security Council has 15 members, of which China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States are permanent members, and the other 10 members are non permanent members. The term of office of the non permanent members is two years. Five members are replaced each year after being elected by the United Nations General Assembly. They cannot be re elected. 10 non permanent seats are allocated by Region: 3 in Africa; Two in Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, Western Europe and other regions; 1 in Eastern Europe. The Security Council, which is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, is one of the principal organs of the United Nations. (Xinhua News Agency)