The government has expressed optimism Kenya will clinch the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) non-permanent seat for the period 2021-2022.
With the final vote set for Wednesday next week by African member States who will converge at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma said she was confident Kenya would get support from her peers.
Juma who spoke on Friday during the launch of the Youth Action Plan, noted how in the last one month, President Uhuru Kenyatta has been meeting different Heads of State either in the country or abroad.
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“Kenya, being an anchor State on matters security and peace, we believe it is the right time for us to get this position. It is time now for our friends to support us,” said Juma.
However, Kenya has a difficult task of beating Djibouti in the only seat reserved for Africa.
But with the votes cast early this month on August 5, Juma Kenya polled 33 votes out of the cut-off 36, a clear manifestation that the country is on the vantage point to fill the position.
During that election where Kenya got the 33 votes out of the 49, it was not clear whether the winner was supposed to get simple majority or two-thirds majority.
After the next week elections, Kenya will also have to wait until next year when the UN General Assembly will vote in June.
Last month, Botswana President Erick Masisi assured Kenya of his support.
The council, which is powerful among the organs of UN, consists of 15 members, but only five are permanent and have strong powers like sanctioning a President.
The five include Russia, United Kingdom, United States, China and France.
If elected, Juma said the position would help to protect the ongoing maritime row with Somalia.
