YouSaid · the spoken record

Kimani

lines on the record: 811
first: 2021-05-27
most recent: 2023-10-25
sittings or episodes: 113
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Kenya has tried to bring carve-outs to the Council, and we hope that in future there will be a better hearing of them. Humanitarian organizations must be enabled to better operate in the space in order to avoid exploitation by groups. Otherwise, we would be discussing the imprisonment of entire populations in order to exploit the humanitarian response to their crisis. As for the concerns we are hearing about the definition of terrorism being lacking, terrorism is recognizable on an intuitive human level. An attack on an airport, such as the one for which we saw evidence in the United Arab Emirates, constitutes terrorism. The shooting of dozens of civilians at Westgate mall in Kenya in 2013 qualifies as terrorism whether or not the United Nations has an official position in that regard. Let us stand together against terrorism.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8981 (2022) · source
“Sanctions such as the ones being levelled today help reinforce to those groups that they will need to cease their external attacks in order to have any hope of being accepted as legitimate political actors. The same is true for Al-Shabaab, which the Security Council continues to treat as a political spoiler, but what part of political spoiling is it to attack hotel, schools and malls in Kenya? The Houthis’ control of populations and the manipulation of the humanitarian space must not be given support by the Security Council. Surely, we are aware by now that attacks on civilians and civilian objects are some of the greatest drivers of humanitarian crisis. Countering terrorism and supporting humanitarian action are not in conflict with one another. Carve-outs must be designed in order to enable them to work together.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8981 (2022) · source
“We are aware that sanctions can have negative implications for humanitarian access. As such, we believe that efforts can be made to ensure that humanitarian access is not impeded. Kenya is alarmed about the increasing trend of transnational groups carrying out attacks outside a territory in which they are engaged in peace processes. In this case, the attacks by the Houthis on civilian targets in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia cross over an acceptable threshold. They contradict the Council’s efforts to help the mediation of peace in Yemen. It is time for the Security Council to limit such incentives for groups that can launch cross-border attacks as a way to draw attention to themselves and leverage in their national positions.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8981 (2022) · source
“We voted in favour of the renewal of the sanctions regime established pursuant to resolution 2140 (2014) and we did so because we are committed to strengthening the resolution and enabling it to respond more effectively to the evolving threat. We note that, despite multiple diplomatic engagements, the regrettable military escalations have undermined efforts aimed at moving towards peace. It is imperative to ensure that those who engage in indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Yemen and from the territory of Yemen into other countries in the region, such as the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, are held to account. Measures, including sanctions, should be instituted in order to impede their capacity and incentives to undertake such acts.”
2022-02-28 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8981 (2022) · source
“By failing to adopt the draft resolution, we deeply regret that the Security Council has failed to stop the infringement of the sovereignty of a member of the United Nations.”
2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8979 (2022) · source
“There have been yet other actions of similar magnitude that have brought us to this unfortunate pass. Today the precious fabric of our Charter lies torn and trampled and is threatened with further harm if there is no urgent and visionary leadership with a faith in diplomacy pushing in the opposite direction. If the United Nations Charter could speak for itself, it would vote for the draft resolution in order to affirm its central role in safeguarding our collective peace. It would remind all members of the Security Council and the United Nations that the Charter contains the tools for the pacific settlement of their disputes by negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice.”
2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8979 (2022) · source
“We voted yes also having in mind the justifications for past interventions by other powerful States, using resolutions from this very Security Council that seriously compromised international peace and security. Even as deserved condemnations ring out today about the breach of Ukraine’s sovereignty, history’s condemnations are allowed silence in this room. We cannot help but recall that Africa’s Sahel region is in terrible turmoil due to the hasty and ill- considered intervention in Libya a decade ago. On that occasion, the African Union sought more time for diplomacy. Its Peace and Security Council was ignored and what resulted was not peace or the safety and security of the Libyan people. Instead, terror was unleashed on African peoples in the countries to the south of Libya.”
2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8979 (2022) · source
“Kenya voted in favour of draft resolution S/2022/155 to affirm Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations, according to which all members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. We voted yes to register our opposition to the breaching of the territorial integrity of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. We voted with hearts that are heavy with sympathy for the people of Ukraine. We offer our condolences to all the Ukrainian families that have suffered the devastating loss of loved ones to this unnecessary war. Our affirmative vote today transcends the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine.”
2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8979 (2022) · source
“The A3 commends the early recovery and livelihoods activities under the United Nations humanitarian response and encourages the expansion of such activities to include psychosocial support for the population, especially for women and children, who have been disproportionately affected by the conflict. It is imperative that those programmes be adequately funded so that they can meet their intended goal of sustained peace. In closing, we reiterate the importance of respect for Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence. The A3 stands in solidarity with the people of Syria in their quest for peace, which can be delivered only by a Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process, with international support.”
2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8978 (2022) · source
“We must caution against the politicization or diversion of aid and call for clear standards of oversight and transparency of aid delivery for the cross-border mechanism as well as for cross-line deliveries while ensuring the protection of all humanitarian personnel and convoys. We are also concerned about the impact of the pandemic, which continues to disproportionately put women’s social and economic prospects in jeopardy given the fragile state of the country and the destruction as a result of years of conflict. Furthermore, given the dire economic situation, marked by vast food insecurity, we urge all actors to support economic recovery measures as a key component of the longer-term peace that Syria and the region need.”
2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8978 (2022) · source
“The A3 underscores the imperative for decisive collective action to combat such terrorist groups so as to ensure that the victims get justice. We also stress the imperative for the protection of civilians, humanitarian workers and civilian infrastructure in accordance with international humanitarian law and the relevant United Nations resolutions. That leads me to the humanitarian situation. The A3 notes with regret that 14.6 million people continue to be in need. The cross-border aid mechanism, complemented by cross-line deliveries, remains a crucial avenue for humanitarian assistance and must be sustained in the interest of the people. We further commend the continued deliveries of cross-line aid in the north-west as a result of the six-month plan and encourage the addition of medical supplies as part of that response.”
2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8978 (2022) · source
“The escalation of violence continues to damage public infrastructure and hampers the population’s access to public services, including health care, educational facilities, potable water and essential items such as heating, fuel and food. The resulting destruction of human lives and livelihoods, especially those of women, children and other vulnerable groups, is repulsive and should be stopped at all costs. It is crucial to ensure that the nationwide ceasefire is respected and adhered to by all concerned parties, as it is increasingly clear that military options cannot end the war. In addition, the perils being visited on innocent lives by groups that the Security Council has listed as terrorists, such as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham/Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant and Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham, continue to be of grave concern.”
2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8978 (2022) · source
“Regional efforts play a critical role in supporting the people of Syria in their quest for lasting peace. Our experience in Africa is that the active positive engagement of neighbouring and nearby countries, particularly in a coordinated manner, is key to resolving difficult political and security crises. We therefore encourage regional support, bearing in mind that resolution 2254 (2015) remains the primary road map for achieving the desired political solution to the crisis. With regard to the security situation, the A3 condemns the unrelenting violence along the contact lines in north-western Syria and in Dara’a through air strikes, ground-based strikes, improvised explosive devices and explosive remnants of war.”
2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8978 (2022) · source
“We commend the parties for their willingness to find agreement on the methodology, which we see as a promising development. We reiterate our plea to the parties to engage meaningfully and constructively in the interests of the millions of Syrians who are counting on their leadership for a bright future. We further look forward to the upcoming Astana format meeting at the Foreign Minister level next month. It is our hope that the meeting will yield fruitful paths that can gain headway and promise for Syria. The A3 also supports other innovative avenues aimed at moving the political process forward. We take note of the Special Envoy’s ongoing consultations on a step-for-step approach and urge that its implementation, particularly regarding humanitarian matters, be in clear accord with international humanitarian law.”
2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8978 (2022) · source
“I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council (A3), Gabon, Ghana and Kenya. We thank Special Envoy Pedersen and Assistant Secretary-General Msuya for their briefings. We also welcome the participation of the representatives of Syria, Iran and Turkey. Our statement will focus on the political, security and humanitarian situation in Syria. The situation in Syria continues to demand our collective responsibility to protect and empower the Syrian people in their quest for sustained peace and stability. Progress on the political track is a lifeline in that regard. We commend the Special Envoy’s efforts, which after a four-month hiatus have led to an agreement to hold a seventh round of the Constitutional Committee meetings in the latter part of next month.”
2022-02-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8978 (2022) · source
“A large part of that recommitment would be aided by our listening to the Secretary-General and utilizing his good offices to deliver according to their intended design. In the coming days, we hope that we will observe a de-escalation in Donbas and that every effort will be made to protect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine. We further hope that we will benefit from the visionary leadership that the world needs today in committing to negotiating a lasting European security architecture that lowers perceptions of threat and promotes cooperation.”
2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8974 (2022) · source
“The membership of this Chamber was fundamentally shaped by the States that emerged victorious from the Second World War. In doing so, the Charter bestowed on them a special responsibility that reflected the sacrifices that they had made to defeat a unique evil to humankind. We believe that the leaders who designed today’s multilateral system were profoundly humbled by the catastrophic war that they had survived, so much so that they were inspired to erect the sovereign equality of States as a central pillar of our United Nations. As such, we urge all Members to recall the ruin from war that has been experienced by most States sitting around this table. It is in this moment of peril that we can powerfully pivot to recommit to the Charter that our predecessors bequeathed us.”
2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8974 (2022) · source
“Such a commitment will need the vision to design a viable security architecture for Europe that protects the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine and other States, while being sensitive to the concerns of all the relevant parties. We want to believe that this Chamber, in the light of its storied past, retains the wisdom and wherewithal to prevent a catastrophic war. We have confidence that the United Nations Charter, embraced as a whole, protects Ukraine and all countries, not only those with modest military means, but also the world’s nuclear Powers. When we consider the recent past of wars undertaken by choice and when the Charter and international law were breached, eventually the safety and security of all parties were tragically undermined.”
2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8974 (2022) · source
“Such a development would instantly lead to significant loss of life, a humanitarian crisis and a large-scale population movement of refugees and internally displaced people. Kenya urgently calls for calm by all parties and for their commitment to protecting civilians and civilian objects from any actions contrary to international law and international humanitarian law. We continue to believe that there is still an opportunity for diplomacy to produce a solution to this dangerous crisis. The required diplomatic steps should seek, in the short term, for a de-escalation of the situation and the limiting of all military manoeuvres to prevent sparking a wider conflict. For that to happen, there must also be a stated commitment to negotiations between NATO and the Russian Federation in the middle and long terms.”
2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8974 (2022) · source
“I thank the Secretary- General for his urgent plea for peace and Under- Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo for her briefing. In this grave moment, Kenya continues to call for respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine, in line with the core tenets of the Charter of the United Nations. Kenya is deeply concerned by the rapid escalation of the conflict risks following the recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent States by the Russian Federation and the continued military escalation. We are concerned that there is a serious risk that a conflict enveloping the whole of the Donbas region will occur, present trends holding.”
2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8974 (2022) · source
“The reinforcement of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East also remains critical to ensuring equitable economic advancement and recovery from the coronavirus disease pandemic.”
2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8973 (2022) · source
“The implementation of those proposals, including strengthening security coordination, preventing terrorism and violence, and promoting confidence-building measures in the economic and civilian fields, will be an important step in the actualization of peace. We also welcome the fact that the 19 February ministerial Munich joint statement by Egypt, France and Jordan spoke of the importance of mutual confidence-building measures and the creation of realistic political and economic horizons. We believe that the cessation of Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and demolitions, including those that pose a risk to the territorial contiguity of a viable Palestinian State, are also important peace- and confidence-building measures.”
2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8973 (2022) · source
“The Security Council should collectively encourage talks that advance the realization of the two- State solution, based on the 1967 lines. The path to that requires strong confidence-building measures at the official level and at the people-to-people level. As such, Kenya continues to commend regional efforts, including those of Egypt, Qatar and Algeria, which are working to ensure the unity of the Palestinian Authority. We also reaffirm the progress made, particularly when it comes to cooperation between the Israelis and the Palestinians. In that regard, we look forward to the operationalization of the outcomes of the 28 December meeting last year between the Israeli Defence Minister and President Mahmoud Abbas.”
2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8973 (2022) · source
“We have also noted the importance of championing grass-roots efforts that contribute to harmonious coexistence as a way to create the conditions for progress in official negotiations. We urge all parties to refrain from provocative acts such as the recent reopening of a makeshift law office in Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. That one act sparked clashes between Israelis and Palestinians last week, with the potential of a wider escalation in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Those trends make clear the urgent need for Israelis and Palestinians to frame a negotiated peaceful settlement of this protracted conflict. That should remain the Council’s focus and premise of engagement with the Israeli-Palestinian situation.”
2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8973 (2022) · source
“We thank Special Coordinator Tor Wennesland for his briefing and continued engagement with his counterparts in the Middle East Quartet. I would also like to recognize the presence of the representatives of Israel and Palestine who are with us today. Kenya condemns the extremist and terrorist acts perpetrated by Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad and other affiliated militia groups, which continue to pursue ideological aims far outside of the principles of the United Nations Charter. As we have stated before, their continuing threat to the peace and security of the Middle East has a damaging domino-like effect reaching many other parts of the world, including our region, Africa.”
2022-02-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8973 (2022) · source
“We call on all Member States to rally behind the Secretary-General in asking him to rally us all to the standard that defends multilateralism. We also call on him to bring his good offices to bear to help the parties concerned to resolve this situation by peaceful means. Let me conclude by reaffirming Kenya’s respect for the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.”
2022-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8970 (2022) · source
“However, Kenya rejects such a yearning from being pursued by force. We must complete our recovery from the embers of dead empires in a way that does not plunge us back into new forms of domination and oppression. We rejected irredentism and expansionism on any basis, including racial, ethnic, religious or cultural factors. We reject that again today. Kenya registers its strong concern and opposition to the recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent States. We further strongly condemn the trend by powerful States in the past few decades, including members of the Security Council, breaching international law with little regard. Multilateralism lies on its deathbed tonight. It has been assaulted today, as it has been by other powerful States in the recent past.”
2022-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8970 (2022) · source
“Instead, we agreed that we would settle for the borders that we inherited, but we would still pursue continental, political, economic and legal integration. Rather than form nations that looked ever backwards into history with a dangerous nostalgia, we chose to look forward to a greatness that none of our many nations and peoples had ever known. We chose to follow the rules of the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations Charter not because our borders satisfied us but because we wanted something greater forged in peace. We believe that all States formed from empires that have collapsed or retreated have many peoples in them yearning for integration with peoples in neighbouring States. That is normal and understandable. After all, who does not want to be joined to their brethren and to make common purpose with them?”
2022-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8970 (2022) · source
“But they cannot justify today’s recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent States when there were multiple diplomatic tracks available and under way that have the ability to offer peaceful solutions. This situation echoes our own history. Kenya and almost every African country were birthed by the ending of empire. Our borders were not of our own drawing. They were drawn in the distant colonial metropoles of London, Paris and Lisbon with no regard for the ancient nations that they cleaved apart. Today across the border of every single African country live our countrymen with whom we share deep historical, cultural and linguistic bonds. At independence, had we chosen to pursue States on the basis of ethnic, racial or religious homogeneity, we would still be waging bloody wars these many decades later.”
2022-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8970 (2022) · source
“Our cry was not heeded, and, more importantly, the Charter’s demand for States to settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered has been profoundly undermined. Today the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine has been effected. Kenya is gravely concerned by the announcement made by the Russian Federation to recognize the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as independent States. In our considered view, that action and announcement breach the territorial integrity of Ukraine. We do not deny that there may be serious security concerns in those regions.”
2022-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8970 (2022) · source
“I thank Under-Secretary- General Rosemary DiCarlo for her briefing. We meet tonight on the brink of a major conflict in Ukraine. The diplomacy we urged on 17 February (see S/PV.8968) is failing. The territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine stands breached. The Charter of the United Nations continues to wilt under the relentless assault of the powerful. One moment it is invoked with reverence by the very same countries that at another turn their backs on it in pursuit of objectives diametrically opposed to international peace and security. In the two most recent meetings on the situation in Ukraine (see S/PV.8960 and S/PV.8968) and given the build-up of forces by the Russian Federation, Kenya urged that diplomacy be given a chance.”
2022-02-21 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8970 (2022) · source
“In conclusion, I wish to reaffirm our solidarity with the great people of Haiti and our belief in their resilience and ingenuity. A reborn, resurgent Haiti can be won today through more determined efforts by Haitian leaders in politics and civil society if they determine that their obligations are greater than their narrow interests.”
2022-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8969 (2022) · source
“We note that Haiti has received $14 billion in the form of international support, including $7 billion from the United Nations since 2004. The bulk of that aid has been aimed at the emergency response. While that is needed and understandable, the A3 calls for added assistance to food security, infrastructure development, justice and security sector reform, education and disaster risk management. The A3 reaffirm our support for the work of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti. We are keen for its mandate to be reviewed so that it can provide better support. We therefore welcome the appointment of Mr. Mourad Wahba as the lead expert to carry out an independent strategic assessment of BINUH’s mandate. We encourage him to consult widely and look forward to considering his report and recommendations.”
2022-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8969 (2022) · source
“There is an urgent need to address the root causes of poverty and precariousness in order to enable sustainable reconstruction in Haiti. The country continues to lose the precious manpower it needs for its reconstruction. Young Haitians are leaving the country by the thousands to flee a daily life that has become unliveable owing to a lack of future prospects. The A3 thanks multilateral and bilateral actors, as well as non-governmental organizations, for their actions to meet some of these humanitarian needs. We also thank all those who participated in the 16 February high-level international event for the reconstruction and recovery of the southern peninsula of Haiti, following the devastating earthquake on 14 August and Tropical Storm Grace on 17 August last year.”
2022-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8969 (2022) · source
“It is critical that the link between politics, gangs and illicit financial flows be broken. We urge the Security Council and the international community to crack down on transnational crime and money- laundering, which incentivize the continuing influence of criminal cartels on the political life of Haiti. There should be no shelter anywhere for the criminal groups and individuals preying on the people of Haiti. With pervasive insecurity, political instability and governance challenges compounded by global supply shortages and natural disasters, Haiti’s economic situation is in deep distress. The resultant high levels of unemployment and limited social service delivery are pushing many deeper into poverty and worsening the humanitarian situation.”
2022-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8969 (2022) · source
“We underscore the need to incorporate into the support packages specialized training for the protection of women and girls from sexual and gender-based abuses. This should include the establishment of mechanisms for the provision of psychosocial support, especially to victims of such abuse. To restore the rule of law, Haiti needs to resuscitate the justice system. We encourage the Haitian authorities to undertake comprehensive justice sector reforms with the aim of addressing prolonged pretrial detentions, the establishment of legal aid offices, the expediting of court cases and the establishment of functioning court registries. These measures are key to fighting impunity and ensuring that those responsible for the perpetration of emblematic crimes, including the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, are brought to justice.”
2022-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8969 (2022) · source
“The Constitutive Act of the African Union recognizes the sixth region, which Haiti is part of; if we are to live up to the role we must play for this region, then this is the moment. The A3 is deeply concerned by the worsening security situation. We take note of the recent changes undertaken in the police force, but much more needs to be done as the force faces multiple challenges, including the lack of appropriate equipment and expertise and low morale. We welcome the ongoing efforts of BINUH and other partners to strengthen the capacity of the Haitian National Police, with a particular focus on anti-gang operations. We urge the redoubling of these efforts and the need for coordination and synergy between the Haitian authorities and all partners.”
2022-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8969 (2022) · source
“On the political situation, the A3 is concerned that the continued polarization and divergences among members of the political class has undermined progress on an agreed way forward. We urge Haiti’s political leadership, its professionals and members of civil society to show they have the will to compromise in forging a strong constitutional model and, linked to this, to deliver credible elections that produce an inclusive and competent Government. Africa has a strong understanding of forging agreements in complex and embattled circumstances. We urge them to make use of Africa’s experiences and to be open to African efforts to share them. We equally urge the African Union and African States to seek to share our knowledge and good offices with the people of Haiti in this moment of need.”
2022-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8969 (2022) · source
“We stand with the people of Haiti and their enduring quest to enjoy the prosperity and peace that should be the product of liberty. Our task today is to engage here in the Security Council and in every forum to support the recovery of Haiti’s security, its competent and democratic Government, and its securing of shared prosperity. We do so in support of Haitian-owned and -led initiatives to recover peace and security as foundations for economic development. The A3 highlight five key issues, namely, the political situation, security, the rule of law, the economic and humanitarian situations and the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).”
2022-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8969 (2022) · source
“Humankind and all people of good conscience owe Haiti the debt of high regard. We recall that history to remember that liberation has a cost and that all free peoples should recognize that sacrifice by honouring and uplifting the descendants of those who have gifted us liberty. Haiti has rarely been allowed to overcome the legacy of its glorious revolution, which defeated some of the greatest military Powers of the eighteenth century. It was blockaded and forced to pay onerous, prosperity- destroying reparations. It was also colonized. The Haitian people have seemed to be punished from the day their forefathers announced their freedom until the recent past. When we Africans look westwards, we see in Haiti a shining beacon of our claim to equality and our unrelenting demand for respect and dignity.”
2022-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8969 (2022) · source
“I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the three African members of the Security Council (A3), namely, Gabon, Ghana and Kenya. We thank Special Representative of the Secretary- General Helen La Lime for her presentation and welcome His Excellency Mr. Antonio Rodrigue, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Haiti. Witnessing the profound challenges that Haiti is experiencing today, we would do well to remember that it has overcome even greater odds in its turbulent history. It is the first free nation to have been established by slaves, who fiercely cast off their chains to inherit what had been the richest colonial holding in the world. Its heroic insistence on freedom and dignity marked a resounding defeat of false racist hierarchies that had fed the cruel and evil enterprise of slavery.”
2022-02-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8969 (2022) · source
“Thirdly, Kenya reiterates the obligations of all the parties to fully implement their commitments in accordance with the Minsk agreements, which provide the most promising road map for the peaceful settlement of the current hostilities, including in eastern Ukraine. All parties must take responsibility and reflect that responsibility in a new willingness to agree to compromise Kenya welcomes the Normandy format advisors meeting held earlier this month and the follow- up meeting, which is scheduled for next month, on implementing the Minsk accords and the consensus reached at the group leaders’ summit in Paris in December 2019. We commend the diplomatic leaders of the Russian Federation and the United States and their partners and allies for showing a willingness to meet in the coming days to make further progress.”
2022-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8968 (2022) · source
“The people of Ukraine deserve inclusive governance, peace and a vibrant economy, which are all deeply dependent on regional stability and cooperation. Secondly, as we indicated on 31 January in this Chamber (see S/PV.8960), we believe that this standoff is imminently resolvable. Major military Powers, particularly those represented in the Security Council, must make a specific and sustained effort to reach arrangements that deliver a minimum level of deconfliction and mutual respect. Otherwise, third countries and global peace and security will suffer greatly as a result of their confrontations.”
2022-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8968 (2022) · source
“In doing so, we hope that they will contribute to a renewed push by all relevant stakeholders to stabilize a situation that, left to escalate, would threaten the very foundations of global stability and the Security Council’s ability to fulfil its mandate in multiple conflict situations. First, Kenya maintains that respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all countries by all States is a cornerstone of global peace. If multilateralism is to be reborn into a system that delivers sustained peace to all, the most powerful States must consistently adhere to international law and to respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, in all regions and at all times. We therefore strongly urge all actors respect the peace, security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
2022-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8968 (2022) · source
“We thank the Under- Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, the Special Representative of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Chief Monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine for their briefings. Kenya cannot contemplate the continued insecurity in eastern Ukraine and the impact it could have on broader security in Europe. Global security is intertwined. Instability in Europe, beyond threatening lives and economies, also disrupts the ability of that important region to play a constructive role in solving the most pressing challenges globally. Insufficient progress in the implementation of the Minsk agreements has been realized since 2014, and that needs to change. Kenya wants to offer three brief recommendations.”
2022-02-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8968 (2022) · source
“This time, however, such agreements need to advance the principle of non-interference in other parts of the world, and particularly in Africa. In conclusion, it is critical that diplomacy and its acceptance of compromise as an inevitable outcome win the day. If there are future discussions to be held in the Security Council on this matter, let it be to announce a new era of cooperation.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“We in Africa therefore have a direct stake in de-escalation and a renewed faith in diplomacy. We have serious challenges to solve together. Rarely has the world more urgently needed a United Nations that can deliver ambitiously. Kenya believes that there is still plenty of opportunity for the Normandy format talks, the Trilateral Contact Group on Ukraine and direct negotiations between the United States and the Russian Federation to produce a satisfactory outcome. We urge all those parties to ensure that their negotiations respect the security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Faith in innovative diplomacy may also allow for agreements between today’s major Powers, inspired by the 1975 Helsinki accords, which delivered some stability to Europe during the Cold War.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“The special powers given to the Security Council’s permanent members demand that they embrace that principle, if the United Nations is not to go the way of the doomed League of Nations. Africa recalls the rejections of compromise and the search for total victory that led to the Cold War. We experienced that Cold War as a series of hot wars and interventions that deeply damaged our dreams for peace, development and competent inclusive Government. Our internal divisions and fragilities were weaponized at the altar of geopolitical rivalry. It confirmed the truth of the African saying that recognizes that, when elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. Given that the majority of the conflict situations the Security Council deals with are in Africa, we do not want them to serve as surrogates for a new Cold War.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“Kenya has always maintained that respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all countries is a cornerstone of global peace. Where there are disputes regarding territorial jurisdiction or security interests, we strongly support patient diplomacy as the first, second and third options. When the dispute is between major Powers and concerns the security of a third country, it is imperative that they embrace a spirit of compromise. We believe that the United States, NATO and the Russian Federation have an opportunity to establish a diplomatic framework that will allow them to resolve their differences. Their security and that of the entire world depend on them willingly taking that step, not in ushering in a new age of containment, provocation and proxy options. Compromise is not surrender.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source
“I thank you, Madam President, for the able way in which you have presided over the Security Council in the month of January. I also thank Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo for her briefing and welcome the participation of the representatives of Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania and Poland in today’s meeting. Kenya abstained in the procedural vote to hold this meeting. We did so to reflect our contention that the main issue in question is the impasse between NATO and the Russian Federation. We believe that it is imminently solvable and that the diplomatic steps under way already show promise. That, rather than escalation in search of a winner-take-all outcome, is what is required to support and protect international peace and security.”
2022-01-31 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.8960 (2022) · source