Kenya bagged a huge win, on Wednesday, after the country emerged victorious in her bid to secure a non-permanent seat for the 2021-2022 term UN Security Council (UNSC).
The East African nation was nominated as the African candidate after flooring Djibouti in the second round of voting at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Latest reports revealed that Kenya garnered 37 votes against Djibouti’s 13 during a session by the 54-member regional group.
"Congratulations Team Kenya in Addis led by PDS, Amb. Tom Amolo, Amb. Catherine Mwangi and Amb. Lazarus Amayo who led a spirited fight to ensure the endorsement of Kenya by the African Union. Kenya is proud of you," Kenya's Foreign Affairs CS, Monica Juma tweeted.
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 elected Kenya as the nation that will contest at the UN polls next year in June.
The UNSC seats reserved for Africa are often available on a regional rotational basis, with the 2021 vacancy falling on eastern Africa.
Only Kenya and Djibouti showed interest and the failure to find a general consensus as to who would represent the African continent, is what led to the vote.
In the first vote on August 5, 2019 Kenya garnered 33 out of 49 ballots cast by members present, with Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau, revealing that a two-thirds majority was needed to secure the endorsement, thereby, falling short by 3 votes.
Kenya must now win at least two-thirds of the votes at the UN when the vote is held in New York next June.
