This archive report was first published on 22 August 2019.
Published on August 22, 2019, barely hours after African States endorsed Kenya to go for the UN Security Council seat, Djibouti has come out to defy the AU position.
The country now says the AU decision is not binding and will be on course to present itself for the position, which has pitted it against Kenya.
Kenya won the Eastern Africa region spot after garnering 37 votes against Djibouti's 13 during an election held by the African Union Permanent Representatives' Committee (AU PRC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
President Uhuru Kenyatta welcomed the African Union's endorsement of Kenya's bid for a UN Security Council seat and called on the rest of the United Nations member states to support the country's candidature.
Kenya will need the support of two-thirds of UN member States (129 votes) to win a seat at the UNSC which comprises China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States sitting as permanent members with 10 fixed-term membership slots shared among African and Asian countries.
Earlier, President Kenyatta expressed confidence that with the support of the continental body, the country is better placed to secure the non-permanent seat for the period 2020 to 2021 during the elections scheduled for June next year.
"I am grateful to the African Union's PRC for the confidence they have shown by endorsing our candidature for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) non-permanent seat," said the President.
