Serbia now backs Kenya UN council bid

Serbia's Ambassador to Kenya, Dragan Zupanjevac during the interview with the Standard at the I&M building, Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Serbia is the latest country to support Kenya’s quest for membership of the UN Security Council, the country’s Ambassador to Kenya Dragan Zupanjevac has said.

Mr Zupenjevac said Serbia’s relationship with Kenya has remained cordial since pre-independent times and is proud of the fact that his country, then Yugoslavia supported Kenya’s independence struggle.

“It pleases me that my official car is emblazoned with CD - 8 the diplomatic number plate,” he notes explaining that this means his country was the eighth to recognise Kenya’s independence.

The envoy, who also represents his county in Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Somalia, Eritrea, Union of Comoros and the UNEP and UN-Habitat, also expressed gratification that Kenya has remained steadfast in supporting a united Serbia where Kossovo is part of the country.

Serbia has refused to recognise Kosovo's independence and it considers it an integral part of Serbia.

This cordial relationship, according to Zupanjevac is something that needs to be strengthened and this week over 30 Kenyan legislators led by Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka are in the Serbian capital Belgrade on an exchange programme with Serbian Parliament.

“The people’s representatives are in Belgrade right now to meet their counterparts in Belgrade to cement ties through identifying ways of working together,” he said.

But most importantly is the fact that next year Kenya will be the chief guest at the annual cultural and art festival at the Museum of African Art in Belgrade.

“Every year we have a country to be the main guest at the festival and it gives me great pleasure to announce that in May next ear Kenya will hold the important cultural event in that status,” Zupanjevac said.

Whilst Serbia is represented in Kenya through an embassy, Kenya is yet to establish her Embassy in Belgrade.