Kenya Condemns Racist Sentiments in Ukraine

Nairobi — Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Martin Kimani has condemned reports that racism has characterized the ongoing humanitarian response in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Speaking during the 11th UN General Assembly emergency session over the Ukraine situation on Tuesday, Amb Kimani said several states in Africa and the Caribbean have received complaints from their citizens that they have been treated in a racist and undignified manner at some border points.

“There are credible reports of African students being made to stand in the back of the queue when getting on trains and buses for safety,” Kimani said.

Kimani said it is disturbing to have racism characterize the expression of solidarity in parts of Europe, accusing some prominent figures of expressing their solidarity in ‘shockingly’ racialist terms through media channels.

“We wholeheartedly condemn such racism against Africans and people of African descent. We reject racism at all times and in all places for its inhumanity, at the very same time as we denounce the illegal and inhuman nature of the war in Ukraine,” he stated.

He at the same time urged countries neighboring Ukraine to double their efforts in cracking down on officials or units that may be reflecting attitudes and behaviours that are unacceptable.