KENYA SET TO CONTRIBUTE ITS WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE INTO THE UN
SECURITY COUNCIL
In just under a month, Kenya will be on the ballot for one of the five vacant slots
reserved for non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Kenya’s
bid follows a resounding endorsement by the African Union in August 2019; areaffirmation of the trust the Union has in Kenya’s leadership to pursue the continent’s
interests in the Council.
Kenya is renowned for many things: it is the archeological cradle of mankind; its galaxyof middle and long distance runners have dominated the world athletics scene fordecades; and, its tourist attractions, that includes the great annual wildebeest migration,
the Great Rift Valley, the Maasai Mara, the expansive beaches and mountainous
landscape, are, probably, unrivalled. In addition to these and many others is that thecountry stands out as a global thought leader and a champion for galvanizing regionaland global consensus on matters of international concern.
Following its endorsement as African Union’s candidate, Kenya has run a campaign
based on a “Ten Point Agenda”. The Agenda focuses on regional and global concernsthat the country champions, namely: building bridges; peace keeping and supportoperations; regional peace and security; countering terrorism and prevention ofextremism; women, peace and security; youth empowerment; humanitarian action;
justice, human rights and democracy; environment and climate change; and,sustainable development goals.
The ‘building bridges’ agenda resonates at the domestic level in deepening ourdemocratic credentials while securing the peace during political transitions andelections. This agenda is particularly relevant today as the world needs multilateralconsensus the global COVID-19 pandemic and its adverse effects. President Uhuru
Kenyatta who is the current President of the Organization of African, Caribbean andPacific States and a member of the Bureau of African Union Heads of State andGovernment has been at the forefront engaging world leaders and institutions inproffering solutions for concerted response measures. During its tenure in the UNSC,
Kenya will pursue an approach that ensures the achievement of world peace, security
and sustainable development.
Kenya has played a leading role in promoting inclusive and sustainable development inAfrica and beyond. It co-facilitated with Ireland the post-2015 Development Agenda
Process leading to adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Domestically, Kenya has made substantial progress towards the achievement of SDGs,
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also developed under its co-chairpersonship, recognizing that sustainable development
and peace and security are mutually dependent.
In Africa, Kenya is an anchor state and guarantor of regional peace and security. Kenya
made immense contributions in the process leading to the signing of theComprehensive Peace Agreement also known as the “Naivasha Agreement” in 2005
between the Government of the Sudan the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement. It also
played a key role in the Somali peace process and continues to support South Sudanand Somalia in their peace and state building efforts. Additionally, Kenya has taken
part in peace missions across 40 countries and runs one of the largest and oldest
peacekeeping training centers on the continent; the International Peace Support
Training Center. Further, Kenya stands out as an excellent example for the progressive
achievement of gender equality in peace keeping, having one of the highest percentage
of female officers serving in peacekeeping missions. Kenya intends to vigorously
pursue the promotion of the women, peace and security agenda during its tenure as
non-permanent member of the UNSC.
Over the years, Kenya, which was home to the late Prof. Wangari Maathai - the first
African Woman Nobel Peace Laureate- has a long and distinguished tradition inconservation and environmental protection. It is the first East African nation to establish
a legal framework on climate change with laws against high carbon development and aban on single-use plastic. Kenya will leverage on her experience and position as hostcountry for the United Nations Environmental Programme to give a fresh momentum
and support to the global environmental agenda.
On humanitarian action, Kenya has demonstrated its commitment to standing for peaceby providing a haven for over 600,000 refugees fleeing conflict and instability inSomalia, South Sudan and other parts of Africa and indeed further afield. By the same
token, the 2010 Kenyan Constitution is one of the most transformative and progressive
documents on the African continent based on its guarantees of basic human rights andthe power it gives citizens to determine how they are to be led.
One of the most significant threats to Kenya’s security has been terrorism and violent
extremism. Apart from counter terrorism measures at the domestic level, Kenya has
been an integral part of regional and global efforts particularly in putting in place
punitive measures to dismantle terrorist networks wherever they are. Kenya will
vigorously pursue this agenda in the Council with a view to creating an environment
for the achievement of long-lasting and sustainable peace and development.
With this set of credentials, it is evident that Kenya has a wealth of experience that it
would bring to bear as a non-permanent member of the United Nations SecurityCouncil.
Amb. Raychelle Omamo, SC, EGH
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary1