Kenya gets African vote for United Nations Security Council membership
Kenya beat Djibouti to become Africa’s candidate in the selection of a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council in June.
Kenya garnered 37 votes against Djibouti’s 13 in a vote taken in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
FIRST VOTE
A committee of envoys representing member states at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, officially known as the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) voted in a secret ballot and Kenya will now contest at the UN polls next year in June.
In the first vote on August 5, Kenya garnered 33 out of 49 votes cast by members present.
Kenya, however, required at least 36 votes, thus necessitating a second vote.
Amb Mohammed Idris Farah of Djibout was the first to congratulate Kenya on the win.
“I congratulate Kenya for a well-deserved win and I am sure Kenya will ably represent our great continent at the UNSC,” Farah said.
ENDORSEMENT
Kenyan Ambassador to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to AU, Ambassador Catherine Mwangi, commended Djibouti for its commitment and passion to serve and pledged to take on board some of the important issues that Djibouti was keen to include in the AU Agenda at the UN Security Council.
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Ambassador Monica Juma congratulated the African Union Permanent Representative Committee for putting their trust in Kenya.
“This endorsement is an affirmation that Kenya has remained true to the decisions and aspirations of the African Union and confirms that it is a safe and dependable pair of hands. Kenya commits to the African brothers and sisters, that we shall be a bold voice for Africa and shall steadfastly promote and defend the African position,” Juma said.
The African Union will present Kenya (Eastern) to the UNSC for elections to be held in New York in June 2020 to serve for a period of two years (2021-2022), subsequently joining Niger (Western) and Tunisia (Northern) that were elected in June 2019 to serve in 2020-2021.
AU conducted this vote because Kenya and Djibouti failed to agree, via consensus, who should represent Africa at the UN Security Council.