Kenya’s bid for one of the non-permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council got a boost Tuesday after several new envoys assured President Uhuru Kenyatta of their countries’ support.
The pledges to support Kenya’s candidature for the UNSC seat during the election scheduled for June next year were made in Nairobi when Kenyatta received credentials from 11 new envoys.
Among the new envoys is the United Kingdom High Commissioner Ms Jane Marriot who replaces Nic Hailey whose tour of duty in Kenya has ended.
Also reporting for duty was the new European Union Delegation Ambassador to Kenya, Simon Mordue, who replaces Antonio Stefan Dejak.
Other envoys who presented their credentials to President Kenyatta included Dimitrios Zavoritis (Greece), Winpeg Moyo (Zimbabwe), Saqtain Syedah (Pakistan) and Martin Klepetko (Czech Republic).
The President also received credentials from Ambassador Oded Joseph of Israel and Jean Bosco Barege of Burundi as well as three non-permanent envoys including Toba Sebade (Togo), Sulayman Aliu (Gambia) and Hermann Immongault (Gabon).
The envoy from Greece said his country will support Kenya’s bid for the UNSC seat as he called for Kenya’s reciprocal support for Greece’s bid for one of the non-permanent UNSC seats in 2024.
Ambassador Winpeg Moyo from Zimbabwe said her nation supports Kenya’s bid for the non-permanent seat and hopes Kenya will win.
“Please accept my congratulations and that of my government, on Kenya’s endorsement by the African Union on your bid for a non-permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, Zimbabwe fully supports your candidature and is confident that you will be victorious in New York,” said the Zimbabwean envoy.
The envoys from the EU, UK, Israel, Pakistan, Togo, Burundi, Czech Republic Gabon and Gambia said Kenya is a strategic partner for their countries and that they will continue to support Kenya’s security interests.
Kenya’s candidature for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) non-permanent seat for the 2021-2022 term was endorsed two weeks ago by the Africa Group after garnering 37 votes against Djibouti’s 13 during a session by the 54-member regional group in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
JK/abj/APA