Kenya is lobbying to get one of two new permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council the African Union hopes to reserve for the continent as part of broader reform of the United Nations, local media reported Monday.

According to the Daily Nation, Kenyan Foreign Minister Ali Chirau Mwakwere said the east African nation would battle it out with other regional giants for the security seats slots.

Mwakwere said Kenya's key role in the regional peace making initiatives will give it an edge over opponents.

Mwakwere said Kenya should be a veto-wielding member of the council because of its work in sealing a deal to end Sudan's 21- year north-south civil war, Africa's longest running conflict, and its successful peace efforts in neighboring lawless Somalia.

"We have started lobbying for the seat as we have all the qualifications and we are sure Kenya will get one of the seats. Kenya's role in various peacemaking initiatives on the continent gives it a competitive edge in the regional, continental and multilateral organizations," Mwakwere told a meeting of his ministry's officials in Naivasha, about 90 km northwest of Nairobi.

However, the east African nation will face strong competition from the other African candidates.

Nigeria, the continent's most populous nation, and South Africa, its richest, have both been heavily involved in peacekeeping and peacemaking across Africa while Egypt has been a key player in the Middle East.

Currently, only Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States have permanent representation on the council and the power to single-handedly halt a UN resolution.

The expansion needs the approval of two-thirds of the UN member states and a vote to change the UN Charter requires a two-thirds vote and the Security Council approval.

Source: Xinhua