Kenya has taken a firm stand in the de-escalation of missile launches by the North Korean government amid concerns that it poses a security threat to its citizens.
In a statement by Kenya's Ambassador to the United Nations, Martin Kimani, on Friday, May 27 the diplomat expressed the government's concerns over the security of Kenyans noting that the East African country would face adverse effects despite the notable distance between the two nations.
He added that Kenya fully supports a world free of nuclear weapons urging the United Nations to intervene in the actions of the North Korean government.
'We voted for the resolution conscious that a major conflict escalation, no matter its distance, will lead directly to harming the development & security of the Kenyan people"
"Kenya reaffirms its long-standing commitment to nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation, and a world free of nuclear weapons," read the statement in part.
Further, it was noted that the missile launches would lead to war which could see the cost of living in the country rise further following the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
Kimani explained that the unsustainable cost of living could hamper the economic development of the country and the African continent at large.
"What we have learned in the last few months is that actions that undermine international peace and security concern not only the immediate countries but even the most distant ones. Today, we are suffering from rapidly rising food and energy costs as a result of a conflict that is far from our borders.
"The undermining of the security and stability of the Korean Peninsula risks escalating into a crisis that leads to serious harm to a region with important trading and investment linkages with Africa. At a time when Africa's development is critical to our own peace, security, and stability.
Previously, Kenya was vocal about the war between Russia and Ukraine as they stated that African countries would face a major economic turmoil given their dependence on various imports from Russia.
"The Charter of the United Nations continues to wilt under the relentless assault of the powerful. In one moment it is invoked with reverence by the very same countries who then turn their backs on it in pursuit of objectives diametrically opposed to international peace and security," Kimani stated in February.
Since the beginning of the war in February, various food prices particularly of wheat products have risen as the two countries are major exporters of wheat and crude oil in the world.
