Today, Kenya is on the verge of clinching a top United Nations position as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. This is a key position for Africa in its representation in the Security Council as will have a voice in key decisions regarding the continent and its interests. The United Nations Security Council is mainly charged with maintaining international peace and security which again translates to the growth and prosperity of Africa.
As it is, Kenya is Africa’s best bet when it comes to occupying the position of a non-permanent member in the UN Security Council. This is so because of the Kenya’s key position in Africa as it is a major peace builder and has successfully engaged several African countries in attain peace and resolving conflict. Besides this, the country has good multilateral relations with a majority of the African countries with President Uhuru Kenyatta positioning the country on the right path towards growth and prosperity by ensuring there is peace in the country.
Kenya has also been a major player in military deployment in different parts of the globe for the longest time possible. The country’s forces have been involved in different peace keeping missions deploying troop contingents to countries such as Namibia for the UN Transition Assistant Group, the UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in Croatia, UN missions in Liberia (UNOMIL and UNMIL). Others countries that have benefited from Kenya in missions include Mali, Sierra Leone, Democraic Republic of Congo among others. The country has also deployed military observers to numerous missions across the globe.
This openly shows Kenya’s commitment in attaining global peace and ensuring countries work towards the right direction. The country has supported numerous UN peacekeeping missions and this is still ongoing. For instance, having joined the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom) in 2012, the country sent 3664 troops towards the cause. In Darfur, Sudan Kenya has sent 191 troops and even the police. The country has gone to the extent of training and equipping Somali forces to ensure better preparation of troops, police officers and civilians for peace operations as reiterated by the UN Secretary- General Antonio Guterres back in 2018. Currently, the country even has an established peacekeeping training centre that is equipping masses. Though not known by many the International Peace Support Training Centre was established by the Kenyan Defence Staff College back in 2001 and is located in Karen.
Kenya’s commitment to peacekeeping has extended to establishing partnerships with a country such as Canada and the UN Women. Ultimately the International Peace Support and Training Centre has supported many African Countries and beyond in efforts to attain peace from different modes of operations.
Thus Kenya is highly committed in peace efforts as the actions and efforts embarked on speaks for itself..
