The Kenyan Foreign Affairs Ministry has broken its silence on the country’s recognition of the Sahrawi Republic as an independent state.
Principal Secretary Foreign Affairs Ministry Macharia Kamau stated in a letter dated September 16 and addressed to all heads of mission and directors, that Kenya still recognizes the Sahrawi republic as an independent state.
“Kenya’s position on the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic is fully aligned with; the decision of the Organization of African Unity (now African Union) to admit SADR to its membership on 22nd August 1982, and the AU Charter which calls for the unquestionable and inalienable right of a people to self-determination.
“Further, the country aligns itself with decisions of subsequent AU Assemblies of Heads of State and Government on SADR,” Mr Kamau said in the note.
The internal note also stated that Kenya supports UN Security Council Resolution 690 (1991), which calls for Western Sahara’s self-determination through a free and fair referendum administered by the UN and AU.
“It should equally be noted that Kenya does not conduct its foreign policy on Twitter or any other social media platforms, rather through official government documents and frameworks,” the letter further said.
PS Kamau’s statement comes just a week after Kenyan President William Ruto tweeted that Kenya had rescinded its decision to recognize Sahrawi as an independent state.
The tweet, which has since been deleted, also stated that steps were being taken to remove the entity’s presence in Nairobi.
