WILLIAM RUTO, Vice-President of Kenya, said that his country had continued to play an active role in the global community’s commitment to sustainable development.  In the course of the year, it had hosted three international conferences that sought sustainable solutions to global challenges.  The Sustainable Development Goals had the potential to transform societies, improve environmental conditions and achieve sustained economic growth.  At the same time, the international community must eradicate poverty by building a fairer global trading system and a more equitable distribution of wealth.

Touching on the situation in Somalia, he said that his country had provided a safe haven for many Somali refugees and had invested resources in combating Al-Shabaab, helping to significantly weaken the group.  The country had also committed significant financial support towards the repatriation of more than 400,000 Somali refugees in Kenya.

Sadly, the efforts of Somalia’s neighbours had not been matched by the international community.  He implored the Security Council to take the matter seriously and align the mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to match current threats.  The failure of solidarity has placed a disproportionate burden on Somalia’s neighbours and risked undermining the credibility of international institutions, he warned.