DEAR COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS,

I take this opportunity to sincerely thank you colleagues and member states for the support and the voting in which you elected Kenya on 17 June 2020, to be a non-permanent (elected) member of the United Nations Security Council for the period 2021-2022. I have been overwhelmed by the expressions of support for this great honour you have accorded me and my country. We, therefore, accept this position with humility and promise to work with you in pushing the common agenda at the UNSC and priorities we had outlined.

I would like to begin by thanking Mr. Golmohammadi, Mr. Angulo-Troconis and WFUNA for convening this debate. This platform is an important mechanism for reinforcing transparency and accountability of the work of the Council even during these difficult and unprecedented circumstances caused by the COVID19 pandemic. It also gives us an opportunity to engage with the wider constituency and on our candidature and agenda at the Security Council if elected. I thank you all for tuning in from far and near. I extend warm greetings to my Brother and Dear Colleague Amb.

In light of the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and growing public health concerns, the 2020 United Nations Ocean Conference, which was scheduled to take place from 2 to 6 June in Lisbon, Portugal, has been postponed per decision 74/548 adopted by the General Assembly on Monday, 13 April 2020 at 3:01 p.m. Co-hosts of the Conference Kenya and Portugal in consultation with the General Assembly will decide on possible future dates for the Conference, including timelines for the preparatory process.