Thread by @DaveKeating

#Kenya #UN speech on #UkraineWar: even if justified, border disputes cannot be solved by force

"Africa's borders weren't of our own drawing- drawn in distant colonial metropoles of London/Paris/Lisbon with no regard for ancient nations they cleaved apart"

"Across the border of every single African country live our countrymen with whom we share deep historical, cultural and linguistic bonds"
"At independence, had we chosen to pursue states on the basis of ethnic racial or religious homogeneity, we would still be waging bloody wars"

"Instead, we agreed that we would settle for the borders that we inherited. But we would still pursue continental, political, economic and legal integration."

"Rather than form nations that looked ever backward into history with a dangerous nostalgia, we chose to look forward."

"We chose to follow the rules of the Organization of African Unity and the UN charter - not because our borders satisfied us, but because we wanted something greater, forged in peace."

It's normal for states forged by empire to want to make common cause with their brethren
"However Kenya rejects such a yearning from being pursued by force. We must complete our recovery from the embers of dead empires in a way that doesn't plunge us into new forms of domination"

"#Kenya rejects irredentism and expansionism on any basis, including racial, ethnic, religious or cultural factors. We reject it again today."
#UkraineWar

To sum up: the borders we have ended up with are accidents of history, and often unfair.

But opening up the Pandora’s box of war to change borders in a way you think is more fair can only lead to unending tragedy.

International unions, softening borders - that’s the solution.