Racial Discrimination Against Africans Fleeing Ukraine: Statement to the UN General Assembly

Thank you, Mr. President,

As a member of the Security Council, I am sorry that we were unable, in the case of the conflict in Ukraine, to carry out the responsibility to maintain international peace and security.

In the meantime, we must, in the General Assembly, make our stand clear. That stand according to Kenya is to affirm the sovereign equality of Ukraine. To recognise the right of Ukraine to its political independence and territorial integrity not being forcefully violated by the Russian Federation.

We have spoken repeatedly on how important it is that we stand united in defence of the UN Charter on this occasion, and so we will not belabour the point again today. There are further considerations we would like to bring to your attention that may strengthen our collective response.

Mr President,

Yesterday afternoon, the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation spoke of his delegation's veto on the 25th of February. He described it as, and I quote him, "a tool for ensuring the balance of interests, which the world needs so badly, and ensuring global stability through this balance", end of quote.

He recalled that the UN was created following a great war to avoid its repeat. As he put it, the "world's powers consented to make agreements, ideally – find consensus, but in any case, – never attempt imposing their decisions upon each other or try to ignore the interests of any of (the) P5 members."

Seeing the world from the lens of 1945, I believe he is at least partially correct. And he is also right to argue that the world badly needs a balance of interests.

But we disagree that interests belong solely to the world powers. Or that we must live today, with the benefit of the United Nations, as Thucydides described when he stated the 'strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.'

It is time that this General Assembly took seriously the challenge of Security Council reform. We can only wonder what a reformed Council would have achieved for the people of Ukraine today. We urge delegations to insert fresh urgency to negotiations on reform, and in line with Africa's Ezulwini Consensus, to 'improve on the balance of competence…between the General Assembly and the Security Council.'

Mr President,

We are greatly concerned by the dire humanitarian situation in Ukraine. We commend the Secretary General, and all states and institutions, for acting so promptly to offer relief to Ukrainians.

It is also clear to us that our duty of care should include all people. Many countries have levelled unprecedented unilateral economic sanctions against the Russian Federation.

Their implementation will likely lead to severe economic consequences, including a massive rise in inflation, the destruction of the hard-won savings of Russians, and widespread unemployment.

We must also add the caution that such considerable sanctions, rather than opening the path to peace may lead to an escalation, and broadening, of the conflict.

The foremost need today is for bold statesmanship to redouble diplomatic efforts to steer us away from the rocky precipice we are being swept towards.

Finally, Mr President, but no less importantly, and persisting in our call for non-discrimination in our humanitarian responses. We share a common humanity.

For this reason, it has been deeply disturbing to observe the racialism that has characterised the expressions of solidarity in parts of Europe.

Prominent figures in multiple media channels are expressing their solidarity in shockingly racialist terms. Rather than join hands with the world, they are pushing the demeaning and inaccurate view that violent conflict only belongs to the Global South.

There is credible news of African students being made to stand in the back of the queue when getting on trains and buses to safety. At some border crossings, they have been treated in a racist and undignified manner.

I do not doubt that there is a lot of deliberate and cynical misinformation driving this message to split our solidarity with Ukraine. However, the evidence of racist treatment is widely available and has been confirmed by several states in Africa and the Caribbean who are in contact with their citizens.

We wholeheartedly condemn such racism against Africans and people of African descent. We resist any view that expressing these concerns is a distraction because the safety and dignity of African people will never be secondary to us. We reject racism at all times and in all places for its inhumanity, at the very same time as we denounce the illegal and inhumane nature of the war in Ukraine.

Has racism not cost Europe tens of millions of lives? Has racism not led to catastrophes around the world? Why must it interfere with our solidarity today?

I thank those countries neighbouring Ukraine that are assisting Kenyan students make the border crossings. I urge them to redouble their efforts to crack down on individual officials or units that may be reflecting attitudes and behaviours that are unacceptable.

There is also a tide of sophisticated misinformation circulating that appears to want to spark a broader conflict, including between nuclear-armed states. We urge all relevant organisations including media houses and social media companies to exercise caution in the management of information.

I conclude by calling on the Russian Federation, and all regional and international actors, to settle this conflict by peaceful means, in accordance with the United Nations Charter.

I thank you.