The government of Kenya has disclosed plans to ask the United Nations to classify Somali militant group al-Shabaab as a terrorist group.
Foreign Affairs PS Macharia Kamau said the State will formally submit a proposal to have the UN Security Council designate al-Shabaab as a terrorist organisation under an expanded bid to end extremist groups in the world, Daily Nation reports.
“We will formally be submitting a request, seeking UAE’s support in listing al-Shabaab under UN Resolution 1267. This is important to bring the global efforts in tackling the group,” he said.
Mr Macharia spoke in Nairobi after meeting a delegation of United Arab Emirates officials where they signed a series of bilateral agreements and agreed to finalise a security agreement soon.
“It has caused serious havoc, not just on Kenya but the region and the world in general. It is important that all global efforts now come together to combat this,” he added as quoted by the publication.
The Shabaab, which pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda in 2010, has not been classified as a terror group by the UN despite several efforts.
Previous bids to have the militant group list were opposed by the US and the UK over fears that Nairobi would want to be delisted as a participant in the Somalia-Eritrea sanctions regime.
