The 14th Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Summit of Heads of State and Government have stated that said the criticism leveled against Kenya for hosting Sudan’s President Omar El Bashir during the promulgation of the country’s new constitution in last Friday’s ceremony is unwarranted.

In a communiqué issued at Lozitha Palace in Swaziland at the end of the two-day summit on Wednesday evening, the COMESA Heads of State and Government said in view of the central role Kenya has continued to play as a guarantor of the Sudan Peace Process under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) it was not wrong for Kenya to host President Bashir during the historic event.

The COMESA leaders, at the same time, appreciated Kenya’s engagement and sacrifices in the peace processes in the Horn of Africa, said a statement issued in Nairobi.

They also acknowledged Kenya’s commitment to support the full implementation of the Sudan’s Comprehensive Peace Agreement and her commitment to keep all parties engaged until the successful holding of the Sudan referendum in January next year.

The East African nation has been roundly condemned by the international community for refusing to arrest the Sudanese leader among them including US President Barrack Obama, the EU and former Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan.

Kenya has defended its failure to arrest Sudan’s leader on international charges of war crimes and genocides, citing strategic interest in the neighboring country noting that that arresting Omar al-Bashir during his recent visit to Kenya may have adversely affected peace in Sudan.

The African Union on Tuesday in a statement defended Kenya’s decision not to comply with the ICC warrant of arrest issued against Sudanese president.

Already, the ICC’s Pre-Trial Chamber has reported Kenya to the UN Security Council for allowing Al-Bashir to step on its soil and it’s expected that member states would meet to take a decision.

The United Nations Security Council will determine the punishment to impose on Kenya for hosting Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir last Friday whose presence overshadowed the promulgation fete.