- Libya's long term dream of winning the United Nations Security Council seat has been realised on Tuesday.
The North African country's previous attempts to grab the seat in 1995 and 2000 were blocked by the western powers, particularly the United States.
Libya joined Burkina Faso and Vietnam to win the three non-permanent seats reserved for African and Asian countries.
Croatia and Costa Rica won the East European and Latin America seats respectively.
Every year, five of the ten non-permanent seats on the 15-member council controls the power to send peacekeeping troops around the world and enforce sanctions on countries.
The non-permanent members are unlike the five permanent members [China, the United States, Russia, Britain and France who have individual veto. However, a resolution can be blocked by an alliance of seven members.
Observers said the election of Libya and Vietnam [former enemies of the United States] was a reward for their good behaviour.
Libya fell apart with western powers following the 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie in Scotland, killing 270 people onboard.
The brawl led to UN sanctions on Libya, which at last surrendered the suspects and admitted responsibility to compensate victims' families.
Libya also abandoned harbouring of terrorists and destroyed its weapons of mass destruction in 2003.
Libyan Ambassador, Giadalla Ettalhi described his country's relations with the United States as normal.
On 31 December, Ghana, Peru, Qatar, Congo and Slovakia will abandon their seats. But South Africa, Indonesia, Italy, Panama, and Belgium each has a year remaining.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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