Kenya’s ambassador to UN Kimani takes over in New York

NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 6-  Permanent Representative to the United Nations, in New York Amb. Dr. Martin Kimani assumed office following the virtual presentation of credentials to the United Nations Secretariat this week.

The virtual presentation of credentials was necessitated by the latest UN COVID-19 pandemic Protocols.

Prior to his appointment Dr. Kimani was the President’s Special Envoy for Countering Violent Extremism and Director of Kenya’s National Counter Terrorism Centre from September of 2015. 

He also served as Secretary for Strategic Initiatives in the Executive Office of the President from December of 2018.

Similarly, Kimani has served as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations at Nairobi, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) between December 2012 and September 2015.

Earlier in his career, Amb. Kimani was a Director at the Intergovernmental Authority on Development’s (IGAD) Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism in Ethiopia, from April 2011 until December 2012.

As Kenya assumes her tenureship of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in January of 2021 for the 2021-2022 period, Kimani’s experiences will dovetail appropriately with Kenya’s stated Agenda at the UNSC.

Kenya will seek to achieve its mandate at the Council within the context of four broad priority objectives, which are; Regional Peace and Security, Counter Terrorism and Violent Extremism, Peace Support Operations, and Climate and Security.