Egypt has been elected to serve as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for a two-year term.

The country will assume its seat on 1 January 2016, and will hold the position until the end of December 2017.

“Egypt will work vigorously to defend and support African and Arab priorities in the UNSC,” said Ahmed Abu Zeid, a spokesperson for Egypt’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.

Four other countries also joined the UNSC: Ukraine, Japan, Uruguay and Senegal.

In September, Egypt’s President Abdul Fatah al-Sisi spoke at the UN General Assembly in New York to reassert Egypt’s commitment to fighting terrorism across the region.

“Egypt and the Middle East have been, in recent years, confronted with a danger that requires creating brighter prospects and opportunities for youth,” he said, adding that counter-terrorism efforts had, so far, been defensive.

“Alongside those efforts, world leaders need to channel the energy of youth away from extremists and false ideas, and towards a peaceful future.”

Al-Sisi’s speech, which was heavily focused on security, offered little in terms of tangible actions, especially with regards to the Syrian civil war. He called on Syrian leaders to meet in Cairo to formulate a clear plan for a post-war interim period “in accordance with the Geneva Convention”.