NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 27 – Kenya has asked China to support her bid for a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2021/2022.
Tom Amolo, the Political and Diplomatic Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the two countries have strong bilateral ties that need to be cemented by the support of each other’s interests.
This comes after Kenya beat Djibouti to become Africa’s candidate and will now need at least two-thirds backing from members of the UN to take the seat.
“The AU robust affirmation of Kenya’s credentials as a safe pair of hands in managing peace and security occurred on August 21, 2019, when Kenya was endorsed by Africa for the non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council for the period 2021/2022 as the only Africa Representative,” Amolo said Thursday at the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi, during celebrations to mark the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People’s Republic of China.
“We know we can count on the support of the People’s Republic of China and all members of the United Nations when elections are held in New York in June 2020. We are a safe pair of hands, to support Africa: Vote Kenya,” Ambassador Amolo said.
For one to be elected a non-permanent member, a country must garner 129 votes out of 193.
The current non-permanent African member states are Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea whose terms end this year, and South Africa whose term will last until next year.
Five of the 10 non-permanent member slots are shared between African and Asian countries.
Other than China, the UNSC has four other permanent members with veto powers, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Russia.
Kenya has been a non-permanent member of the UNSC twice, the first in 1973 and then in 1997.
