Kenya to vie for UN seat, says Deputy President Ruto

Deputy President William Ruto (left) and World Bank Vice president for Africa Makhtar Diop (right) during a conference on Development in Africa at Yokohama, Japan May 31, 2013. Mr Ruto has said Kenya will vie for a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term from 2017. MARTIN TELEWA/DPPS

What you need to know:

  • Elections for the 71st session of the UN General Assembly will be held in 2016. 

  • This is the fist time Kenya is seeking a top position in the UN.

Kenya will vie for a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council for a two-year term from 2017.

This was revealed by Deputy President William Ruto during a meeting with Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Yokohama, Japan on Saturday.

Mr Ruto appealed to the government of Japan to support Kenya’s bid.

Elections for the 71st session of the UN General Assembly will be held in 2016. This is the fist time Kenya is seeking a top position in the UN.

Mr Abe asked Kenya to back Japan's bid for the post in 2015. The PM solicited support for the country's bid to host the summer 2020 Olympics.

"Japan would like to request Kenya to support us in the bid for non-permanent membership for the UN in 2015,” Mr Abe said during the meeting.

He congratulated Kenya for holding peaceful elections and celebrating 50 years of independence.

He said his government will assist Kenya in production of geothermal  power, construction of roads and expansion of the Mombasa Port. Japan will also assist in human resource development through JICA and Toyota Motor Corporation.

Mr Abe announced that Kenya and Japan would work on a bilateral investment agreement.

“Japan will continue to provide support to Kenya to achieve Vision 2030. Our support will be in technology and financial areas,” Mr Abe said.

Mr Ruto said the relationship between the two countries stem from independence and that Kenya was looking forward to further cooperation.

“We look forward to further expanding the Mombasa Port by two other phases and will call on Japan to support us,” Mr Ruto said.

"We want to develop our energy sector to be able to produce 6,000 megawatts of power in the next five years from geothermal, coal and hydro."

The Deputy President said  Kenya was looking on Japan and the international community to help  stabilise Somalia and ensure its citizens returned to rebuild their country.       

Later, Mr Ruto met Somalia President  Hassan Sheikh Mohamud where the two discussed the security situation in the country.