Kenya plans to complete the deployment of its full contingent of security forces to violence-ravaged Haiti by January 2024, President William Ruto has announced. His remarks came as Haiti’s leader called for the mission to be transformed into a UN peacekeeping operation.
The Kenyan-led multinational policing mission, established three months ago to address the growing insecurity in Haiti, could be converted into a UN-mandated peacekeeping force, pending a vote by the UN Security Council.
“Kenya will deploy the additional contingent to reach the target of 2,500 police officers by January,” Ruto said during his address at the UN General Assembly. He also urged the international community to provide more equipment, logistics, and funding to support the mission, noting that other African and Caribbean nations were ready to contribute.
More than 80% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and key roads across the country are controlled by powerful criminal gangs, exacerbating the country’s instability.
Edgard Leblanc Fils, head of Haiti’s transitional council, expressed his desire for the mission to be transitioned into a UN peacekeeping operation. He believes this change would secure better funding and ensure stronger international commitment to resolving Haiti’s security crisis.
Haiti’s previous UN Stabilisation Mission (2004-2017) was marred by accusations of sexual abuse and the accidental introduction of cholera, which claimed around 10,000 lives. However, the United States has supported the idea of bringing the current mission under a UN mandate to ensure consistent funding.
The potential transition faces significant challenges in the Security Council, where Russia and China hold veto power. A draft UN Security Council resolution is set to be debated on Monday, which includes a proposal to consider converting the current security mission into a full-fledged UN peacekeeping operation.
Haitian interim Prime Minister Garry Conille acknowledged the difficulty of restoring security, emphasising the need for external assistance. The US has pledged an additional $160 million in aid for Haiti, raising its total assistance to $1.3 billion since 2021. Additionally, Washington has imposed sanctions on two Haitians with links to the country’s gangs.