Kenya gets African Union endorsement for the United Nations Security Council seat

The African Union has endorsed Kenya’s Candidature for the United Nations Council non-permanent seat for the year 2021-2025. Kenya beat Djibouti – another candidate from the Eastern region, in an election held today, Tuesday, by the African Union Permanent Representatives’ Committee at the African Union’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Kenya got the endorsement from AU after a second round of voting flooring Djibouti by 24 votes. The African Union, which has a membership of 54 countries across the continent, makes up 28 percent of the United Nations membership.

On August 5, Kenya failed to get the endorsement after managing to get 33 votes out of the 49 that were cast, failing short of the set two-third threshold.

In order to clinch a seat at the UN Security Council, Kenya will need to get at least majority vote win of at least two-thirds out of the UN’s 129 member States who will vote in New York in June next year. The council comprises of permanent members – France, China, the Russian Federation, the United States and the United Kingdom and other 10 fixed-term membership slots spread among Asian and African countries.

Currently, Tunisia and Niger represent the northern and western Africa respectively after they were elected in June this year.

While calling on the UN member States to support Kenya in the 2020 elections, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has welcomed the Africa Union endorsement saying the backing is a mark of confidence in Kenya’s ability to represent the continent’s interests at the global platform.

“I’m grateful to the African Union’s PRC for the confidence they have shown by endorsing our candidature for the United Nations Security Council non-permanent seat,” President Uhuru said.

Kenya served for two terms as a member non-permanent of the UN Security Council in 1973/74 and 1997/98.

While conceding defeat, Djibouti congratulated Kenya for a “well-deserved win”.