Riyadh —  Saudi Arabia on Thursday, Oct. 17, won a UN Security Council seat for the first time in a new show of determination to make its voice heard, joining Chad, Chile, Lithuania and Nigeria in taking places on the key body.

All five countries stood unopposed in an election by the 193 member UN General Assembly.

They will replace Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo on the 15-nation council on January 1.

Saudi Arabia, despite its oil power, has never competed for a place on the United Nations’ most powerful body which has a key role pronouncing on conflicts such as that in Syria.

The conservative kingdom has several times expressed alarm at what it considers international inaction over Syria. It has been a major backer of the rebels fighting President Bashar al-Assad.

Saudi Arabia is seeking a more active role in key international bodies even though its own record on women’s rights and human rights has been criticized, according to diplomats and observers.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal refused to speak or even hand out a copy of his speech at the UN General Assembly in September out of anger over Security Council deadlock on Syria and Palestine.