Ruto:Kenya believes in the pursuit of peace, security, and stability within its borders

By Robert Mutasi 

President William Ruto has assured Kenya of continuing to pursue peace, security, and stability not only within its borders but also beyond into other neighbor states and across the African continent as a whole.

The President told an audience at State House in Nairobi on Friday, October 25, 2024, that Kenya has, and is playing, a key role in the quest for peace, specifically in the Horn of Africa and Eastern African regions.

During a courtesy call by the IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu, President Ruto said Kenya remained irrevocably committed to the principles of multilateralism. 

He explained that these principles were espoused in the Constitutive Act of the African Union and the United Nations Charter and anchor Kenya's foreign policy and diplomacy.

"Kenya believes in the pursuit of peace, security, and stability in its borders, its neighbors, and the rest of Africa," President Ruto said. "Our adherence to the principles of multilateralism is of essence in addressing the complex challenges of our region and the wider African continent."

For over a decade, Kenya has been earmarked as an active regional player in peacebuilding processes, particularly in conflict resolution attempts in neighboring war-torn countries, such as Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan.

Kenya remains an anchor state in maintaining regional peace and security in the Horn of Africa through active support for various regional stabilization initiatives using different diplomatic engagements and peacekeeping missions.

The Head of State pointed to Kenya's efforts in calming conflicts in these countries, with the intention of reassuring the country's position as an island of stability in a region normally characterised by violence and instability.

"Our country has played a critical role as an anchor state for peace and security in the Horn of Africa sub-region and indeed the entire Eastern Africa, specifically in Somalia, South Sudan, and Sudan," he said.

The President's meeting with Workneh Gebeyehu also drew on the need for regional cooperation on long-term peace. 

Gebeyehu is the Executive Secretary of IGAD and has been at the forefront of coordinating regional responses to conflict, as well as promoting economic integration among its member states.

The courtesy visit to State House, Nairobi forms part of the ongoing diplomatic engagements between Kenya and IGAD in an effort toward strengthening regional cooperation and addressing the myriad security challenges facing the Horn of Africa.