Kenya seeks Caribbean support in the candidacy for the Security Council post

BRIDGE, BARBADOS,

President Uhuru Kenyatta urged the Caribbean community to support Kenya's candidacy for the non-permanent position of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for 2021 to 2022.

The President appealed while advocating closer cooperation between the countries of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP) to stimulate development and economic growth.

"The Kenyan candidacy is informed by the fundamental role played by the UN Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security," he said.

He said Kenya will continue to play a leading role in peace, security and conflict management in the Horn of Africa region and other parts of the world.

The Head of State, who was accompanied by the Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Cabinet, Monica Juma, spoke during a meeting with leaders of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) in Bridgetown, Barbados.


DELIVERY MODEL

Kenya will host the next session of the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement Summit in Nairobi in December.

"I hope to see you all in Nairobi and I look forward to fruitful deliberations as we move forward with the ACP agenda," President Kenyatta told the leaders of the Caribbean community (CARICOM) who attended the Bridgetown meeting.



In the spirit of closer collaboration between Kenya and the Caribbean community, he requested the OECS to support Kenya's offer to host the Global Service Delivery Model (GSDM) as recommended by the UN Secretary General.

He said that Kenya was chosen after reaching the threshold of space, qualified personnel, employee safety, location and affordable costs.

“Kenya is the headquarters of the only United Nations office in Africa. I hope that during the deliberation on this matter during the 5th Commission of the United Nations General Assembly, the OECS countries will support Kenya. "

DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS

The President also asked the Eastern Caribbean States to establish diplomatic missions in Kenya, and that the United Nations Environment Program (Unep) and UN-Habitat facilitate frequent consultations and monitoring of environmental and settlement issues. humans.

"This process of regular consultative dialogue and active engagement focused on issues of mutual interest in the international arena will result in symbiotic benefits in matters of peace, security and development," he said.

COOPERATION

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley said the meeting between President Kenyatta and CARICOM leaders opened a new chapter of cooperation between Kenya and the Caribbean.

"We are really on the right path of forging deeper and better relations between the CARICOM countries and Kenya," said the Prime Minister.



Ms. Mottley assured President Kenyatta that Barbados was ready for diplomatic representation in Nairobi.

President Kenyatta highlighted trade, investment, tourism and cultural cooperation as some of the key drivers of collaboration that should be developed through a regional Free Trade Area (FTA) under the appropriate rules of the World Trade Organization .

"Through this route, our respective countries can benefit from the benefits of trade and, most preferably, through a free-trade mechanism of tax-free quotas," he said.

While talking about the ongoing discussions about direct links between the African Union and CARICOM, President Kenyatta said that the same should be extended to the Pacific region.

“We need to participate and share ideas regularly as ACP countries. Let's work, invest, develop and address global challenges together as a group. We must strive to speak with one voice. "

COMMERCE

The President praised the growing partnership between Kenya and t