Hiiraan Online
Saturday September 28, 2019
DJIBOUTI (HOL) - Djibouti president Ismail Guelleh has accused the African Union of bias in endorsing Kenya’s candidacy for the UN Security Council non-permanent seat noting the East African nation has served twice in the UN body.
Addressing journalists Friday, Guelleh, whose country contested Kenya’s approval and said will go ahead to push for a vote at the UN General Assembly.
He stated that it was a mistake to nominate Kenya for the third time noting the move was out of ‘bias’.“The mistake which member countries did was to deny Djibouti its right,” said Guelleh. Kenya was sent to the Security Council twice but we have represented the continent once, therefore I see this as injustice.”
But Guelleh expressed confidence in his country’s win noting ‘we have the support of our friends and I our hope is to secure the seat’.
Djibouti made an about turn last month after it earlier okayed Kenya’s win. Its ambassador tweeted after the 55-nation communique agreeing to Kenya’s nomination that his country will go ahead to seek approval by the General Assembly.
"Djibouti reaffirms its decision to continue its bid to secure a seat at the Security Council for the period 2021-2022. We thank all the UN member states that have formally expressed support to Djibouti," Mohamed Siad Doualeh, Djibouti's permanent representative to the UN said.
Djibouti’s Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamud Ali Yusuf said last week Kenya would use its position at the Security Council to oppress Somalia noting the East African nation could not be trusted to represent Africa.
“We think Kenya is a threat to Somalia, Kenya could use its UNSC membership to exert pressure on Somalia over a maritime border dispute and that could escalate the situation,” Yusuf said.