On 8 April, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) elected members to its subsidiary bodies. Malta was elected by acclamation to the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) for the 2027–2031 term, alongside Belgium, which filled the second seat allocated to the Western Europe and Others Group (WEOG).
These elections took place within the context of the UNSC’s expansion, following a 2024 ECOSOC resolution that will increase the Commission’s membership from 24 to 54 by 2028. The current session added 10 new seats, including two for WEOG. Members serve four-year terms and are typically represented by their chief statisticians.
Established in 1946, the UNSC is the highest decision-making body of the global statistical system. It sets international statistical standards, develops methodologies, coordinates statistical work across the UN system, and oversees the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD). The Commission meets annually in March.
The UNSC operates under the auspices of ECOSOC, one of the United Nations’ six principal organs. ECOSOC is responsible for coordinating the organisation’s economic, social, environmental, and related work, and serves as the main forum for policy dialogue and international cooperation. Through its network of functional commissions and expert bodies, ECOSOC supports member states and advances the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Current WEOG members of the UNSC include Austria, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
