Excellencies,

On the 21st of February 2022, three days before the Russian invasion on Ukraine, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Martin Kimani, spoke in the Security Council.

In his short but remarkable speech, the Ambassador talked about African countries’ borders, inherited from the colonial empires, drawn with no regard for the existing nations and cultures.

It certainly did not make life any easier for the inhabitants of those states.

They could look backward and pursue racial, ethnic or religious homogeneity. And plunge into long-lasting conflicts.

But they took a different path.

Let me quote Ambassador Kimani: “we agreed that we would settle for the borders that we inherited, but we would still pursue continental political, economic and legal integration. (…) We chose to follow the rules of the Organisation of African Unity and the United Nations Charter, not because our borders satisfied us, but because we wanted something greater, forged in peace.”

I remain grateful for these inspiring remarks.

The courageous vision of the Kenyan ambassador contrasts starkly with the path chosen by the Russian Federation.

Despite being a permanent Security Council member, Russia has repeatedly violated the UN Charter.

It’s trying to crush a sovereign state and exterminate its cultural identity.

It shocked the world with brutality unseen for decades. We will never forget the atrocities committed in Bucha, Mariupol, or Kramatorsk.

It decided to block the transport of grain and to use food as a weapon, even though the number of people suffering from hunger is growing at an alarming rate.

Today, on the eve of the second anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Kremlin shows no intention to change the course. Quite the reverse.

The aggression resonates globally, causing economic turbulence that affect us all.

Two years ago, the General Assembly adopted the resolution condemning Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.

It demanded that Russia immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from Ukraine within the internationally recognised borders.

141 UN members stood up for Ukraine and against the breach of the international order.

As we expressed our position clearly and reiterated it on several other occasions in the General Assembly, we committed ourselves to support the victim.

We must fulfil this commitment.

We must restore the world based on the principles of sovereignty of nations, inviolability of the borders, and respect for personal freedoms.

We must hold the perpetrators and their accomplices accountable for their crimes.

Only our resolve can deter the neo-imperial delusions that may arise in any part of the world.

We need to stay the course until Mr. Putin understands that the days of European imperialism are gone, for good.

Thank you!

 

Photo: Konrad Laskowski/MFA