An amazing speech by Kenya at the UN Security Council regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, 22/02/2022 (video excerpt from this reddit post)
Kenya is gravely concerned by the announcement made by the Russian Federation to recognise Donetsk and Luhansk Regions of Ukraine as independent states. In our considered view, this action and announcement breaches the territorial integrity of Ukraine. We do not deny that there may be serious security concerns in these regions, but they cannot justify today’s recognition of these regions as independent states. Not when there are multiple diplomatic tracks available and underway that have the ability to offer peaceful solutions.
Mr President, this situation echoes our history. Kenya and almost every African country was birthed by the ending of empires. Our borders were not of our own drawing. They were drawn in the distant colonial metropolis of London, Paris and Lisbon with no regard for the ancient nations that they cleaved apart. Today, across the border of every single African country live our countrymen with whom we share deep historical, cultural and linguistic bonds. At independence, had we chosen to pursue states on the basis of ethnic, racial or religious homogeneity, we would still be waging bloody wars these many decades later. Instead, we agreed that we would settle for the borders that we inherited, but we would still pursue continental, political, economic and legal integration. Rather than form nations that looked ever-backword into history with a dangerous nostalgia, we chose to look forward to a greatness none of our nations and many peoples had ever known. 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.
We believe that all states formed from empires that have collapsed or retreated have many peoples in them yearning for integration from people in neighbouring states. This is normal and understandable. After all, who does not want to be joined to the brethren and to make common purpose with them? However, Kenya rejects such a yearning from being pursued by force. We must complete our recovery from the embers of dead empires in a way that does not plunge us back into new forms of domination and oppression. We rejected irredentism and expansionism on any basis including racial, ethnic, religious or cultural factors. We reject it again today.
Kenya registers its strong concern and opposition to the recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states. We further strongly condemn the trend in the last few decades of powerful states including members of this security council breaching international law with little regard.
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