非洲政治文明的高光时刻

在乌克兰战争全面爆发前的联合国安理会紧急会议上，肯尼亚驻联合国大使马丁·基马尼的发言引起媒体热议。虽然也有人指基马尼的发言十分虚伪，因为10来年前正是基马尼本人带领军队和索马里因为边境纠纷开战；但大多数评论都给予了高度的褒扬，是该次会议最受关注和最多赞扬的演讲。

在五大洲中，非洲的政治文明应该是最低、最落后的，但这不妨碍一些非洲国家超越同侪，在世界舞台上展现“非洲政治文明的高光时刻”，使某些自视甚高的大国相形见绌。

而若对非盟进行一些了解，就会发现这是世界上仅次于欧盟的区域一体化组织，其机制和运作比东盟还强些，更不用提已经形同废掉的南美国家联盟了。

基马尼在演讲中说：

乌克兰的局势让人想起非洲的历史。肯尼亚以及几乎每个非洲国家都是随着帝国时代的终结而诞生的。我们的国界线并不是我们自己画的，而是殖民者们在遥远的大都市—伦敦、巴黎或里斯本——画的，丝毫没有考虑过被他们分割开来的各个古老民族。

如今，每个非洲国家的国界线两边，都生活着有着共同的、深厚的历史、文化和语言纽带的同族同胞。如果当初在独立时我们选择寻求在民族、种族或宗教同质性的基础上划定国家的边界，那么这几十年来，我们将一直陷在血腥的战争中。

相反，我们同意、接受了继承下来的边界线，但我们也在追求非洲大陆在政治、经济和法律上的一体化。我们不想要建立带着危险的怀旧情绪、永远沉浸于历史的国家，而是选择面向未来、追求我们的国家和人民从未见过的一种伟大。

我们选择遵循非洲统一组织和联合国宪章的规则，不是我们满意于我们的国界，而是因为我们想要在和平中缔造出的更伟大的东西。

我们相信，每一个从帝国的崩溃或衰退里形成的国家，都有许多渴望和邻国的同族结成一体的人。

这是正常的，也是可以理解的。毕竟，谁不想加入自己的手足兄弟，与他们一起去实现共同的目标呢？但是，肯尼亚拒绝使用武力来满足这种渴望。为了从逝去帝国的余烬中完成复兴，我们必须采取一种不会将我们拖回新形式霸权和压迫的方式。此前我们拒绝任何一种统一主义和扩张主义，包括基于种族、民族、宗教或文化因素的。今天我们再次拒绝。

肯尼亚对承认顿涅茨克和卢甘斯克为独立国家表示强烈关切和坚决反对。我们进一步强烈谴责过去几十年来、包括安理会成员在内的强国肆无忌惮地违反国际法的趋势。

今晚，多边主义正奄奄一息。它在今天受到攻击，就像它一直以来受到其他强国的攻击一样。我们呼吁所有成员支持秘书长，并要求他团结所有人来捍卫多边主义。我们也呼吁他积极地进行斡旋，帮助有关各方以和平方式解决这一问题。

演讲全文：

Thank you, Mr. President. I thank Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo for her briefing.

We meet tonight on the brink of a major conflict in Ukraine. The diplomacy we urged on the 17th of February is failing. The territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine stands breached. The Charter of the United Nations continues to wilt under the relentless assault of the powerful. In one moment, it is invoked with reverence by the very same countries who then turn their backs on it in pursuit of objectives diametrically opposed to international peace and security.

In the last two meetings on the situation in Ukraine, and the build up of forces by the Russian Federation, Kenya urged that diplomacy be given a chance. Our cry was not heeded and, more importantly, the Charter’s demand for states to settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security and justice are not endangered has been profoundly undermined.

Today, the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine has been effected. Kenya is gravely concerned by the announcement made by the Russian Federation to recognize Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as independent states. In our considered view, this action and announcement breaches the territorial integrity of -- of Ukraine.

We do not deny that there may be serious security concerns in these regions. But they cannot justify today’s recognition of these regions as independent states -- not when there are multiple diplomatic tracks available and underway that have the ability to offer peaceful solutions.

Mr. President,

This situation echoes our history. Kenya and almost every African country was birthed by the ending of empire. Our borders were not of our own drawing. They were drawn in the distant colonial metropoles of London, Paris, and Lisbon, with no regard for the ancient nations that they cleaved apart.

Today, 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 these many decades later.

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 backwards into history with a dangerous nostalgia, we chose to look forward to a greatness none of our many nations and peoples had ever known. We chose to follow the rules of the Organisation of African Unity and the United Nations charter, not because our borders satisfied us, but because we wanted something greater, forged in peace.

We believe that all states formed from empires that have collapsed or retreated have many peoples in them yearning for integration with peoples in neighboring states. This is normal and understandable. After all, who does not want to be joined to their brethren and to make common purpose with them? 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 does not plunge us back into new forms of domination and oppression.

We rejected irredentism and expansionism on any basis, including racial, ethnic, religious, or cultural factors. We -- We reject it again today. Kenya registers its strong concern and opposition to the recognition of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent states. We further strongly condemn the trend in the last few decades of powerful states, including members of this Security Council, breaching international law with little regard.

Multilateralism lies on its deathbed tonight. It has been assaulted today as it as it has been by other powerful states in the recent past. We call on all members to rally behind the Secretary-General in asking him to rally us all to the standard that defends multilateralism. We also call on him to bring his good offices to bear to help the concerned parties resolve this situation by peaceful means.

Let me conclude, Mr. President, by reaffirming Kenya's respect for the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.

Thank you.