NAIROBI, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Kenya on Friday launched a campaign to boost its chances of winning a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council during elections nexyt June.
Senior officials said the publicity campaign will highlight Kenya's reputation as a guarantor for peace, security and development in the eastern African region and beyond.
"Our campaign for the UN Security Council seat will build on our strengths in conflict resolutions, security and development," said Monica Juma, cabinet secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Kenya will convince bilateral partners and regional blocs to support its bid for a seat at the UN organ by showcasing its commitment to integration, sustainable development, multilateralism and climate change mitigation, she said.
"The campaign will also shed light on our resolve to support the war against conventional and emerging security threats like cyber crimes and violent extremism," Juma told a media briefing in Nairobi.
Kenya will host a side event at the upcoming UN General Assembly to discuss security, climate change and the nexus between peace and sustainable development, as part of shuttle diplomacy to boost its bid for UN Security Council seat, she said.
The cabinet secretary said Kenya has received strong backing for its quest to secure a seat at the top UN organ that makes critical decisions on world peace and security.
"Besides the African Union (AU) endorsing our candidature for the UN Security Council seat, we continue to receive support from Asia, Europe and the Americas," Juma said.
The government is leveraging on high-profile visits to foreign capitals to lobby for support for the bid to serve at the UN Security Council from 2021 to 2022, she said.
Kenya is expected to join its African counterparts Niger and Tunisia that were elected in June to occupy the non-permanent seats at the top UN organ.
"Given Kenya's foreign policy, which is strongly Afro-centric, the elections to the UNSC will give the country the opportunity to build consensus across regional and global matters that affect Africa," the Kenyan foreign ministry said in an earlier statement.
