Kenya has joined Australia, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, the European Union and India in launching a new international partnership aimed at strengthening global cooperation and supporting changes to the multilateral system.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei said on Wednesday that Kenya will work with the founding members, subscribers and other interested actors to advance the objectives of the Partnership for Multilateralism (P4M).
In an update on X, Sing’Oei said Kenya will be part of efforts to promote cooperation through the new platform as countries seek to respond to changes in the global system.
The P4M brings together countries from different parts of the world around shared commitments to peace, international law, sustainable development, shared prosperity and human rights.
Its launch comes amid continued calls for changes to United Nations institutions to make them more representative and better able to respond to shifts in global power and international relations.
The UN was created in 1945 with 51 member states and has since expanded to 193. All member states are represented in the General Assembly, with each country having one vote.
The Security Council, however, has 15 members. Five are permanent members with veto powers, while the other 10 are elected for two-year terms.
Calls to reform the Security Council have been discussed through intergovernmental negotiations at the General Assembly for several years. Key issues include equitable representation and proposals to expand the Council's membership.
The African Union has maintained a common position seeking stronger African representation on the Security Council. Its proposal includes two permanent seats for Africa with the same rights and privileges as the existing permanent members, including veto rights, together with five non-permanent seats.
Kenya has previously held an elected seat on the Security Council, serving during the 2021–2022 term. The UN said Kenya used the membership to promote peace and security while advancing multilateralism.
The P4M declaration says the world is facing major changes driven by conflict, geopolitical tensions, economic pressure and the rapid growth of new technologies.
“We come together at a time of profound global transformation. The escalating pace and scale of global change are reshaping our present and will define our collective future,” the declaration said.
The partners raised concern over increasing divisions between countries, violations of international law and a greater reliance on power politics, protectionism and coercion.
“We are concerned by growing polarisation, the spread of conflict, violations of international law and the increasing resort to power politics, protectionism, coercion and the threat or use of force. These trends are a threat to international peace and security and harm global cooperation precisely when it is needed more than ever,” the declaration said.
The group also highlighted the close links between economies and the disruption of trade, supply chains, investment and development financing.
Climate change, loss of biodiversity, pollution and rapid technological advances were also identified among the challenges facing the international community.
Under the partnership, countries will seek closer cooperation in areas including artificial intelligence, digital transformation, climate change, global health and international finance.
The declaration also backs efforts to reform the United Nations through initiatives such as UN80. The reforms are intended to strengthen the UN's ability to prevent conflicts, deal with crises, support sustainable development and protect human rights and the rule of law.
The push for change comes as the UN continues its wider reform process. The 2024 Pact for the Future included commitments to strengthen the General Assembly and continue discussions on Security Council reform, amid long-running concerns about the effectiveness and representation of the multilateral system.
The P4M members reaffirmed their support for the UN Charter while calling for a global system that gives greater space to different regions and countries.
“The multilateral system founded on the United Nations Charter remains indispensable, and has helped provide a framework for peace, decolonisation, prosperity, and human dignity and must now respond to a world that is more interconnected and complex, more contested and more multipolar,” the declaration said.
The partnership will remain open to countries and other partners from different regions. Its founding members will hold regular exchanges focused on dialogue, coordination and practical cooperation.
“Today, at a time of global transformation and mounting pressure on the international order, we choose cooperation, respect for international law, multilateralism and shared responsibility as the foundations of our collective efforts,” the declaration maintained.