Ireland will soon find out whether its campaign for a seat on the UN security council has been successful.
193 UN countries will cast their votes tonight, with the winners serving a two year term.
Ireland is up against Canada and Norway, with two countries due to secure seats.
Former Irish Ambassador to the UK, Italy and the EU Bobby McDonagh outlines why Ireland wants to sit on the council.
"The global system of inter dependence has never been more threatened, and never been more necessary, with the rise and spread of narrow nationalism.
"We have a responsibility as a small and medium sized country to try and reassert the importance of the rule of law in multilateralism.
"Secondly because of Ireland's national particular experience in the priorities of the UN - disarmament, peace keeping, human rights, development, these issues are still central to the UN agenda."
