Kenyan President William Ruto announced on Friday that an additional 600 officers will be joining the UN-backed mission in Haiti after meeting with Haiti’s interim Prime Minister Garry Conille. Both leaders called for increased support from the international community.
Kenya, which has already sent 400 police officers, is leading a multinational effort to address the escalating insecurity in Haiti.
President Ruto stated that the additional 600 Kenyan police officers are currently undergoing pre-deployment training and will be ready for duty next month. The overall deployment is expected to reach 2,500.
President Ruto also urged the international community to support the mission urgently, which has been hindered by a chronic lack of funding. Prime Minister Conille echoed this plea, emphasizing the need for a quicker and more committed response from international partners.
Prime Minister Conille’s visit to Kenya followed a recent attack by gang members in Ponte Sonde, Haiti, which resulted in the deaths of 109 people and injuries to around 40 others. The attackers also set fire to homes and vehicles.
Condemning this “senseless crime,” Prime Minister Conille noted that a security mission had been promptly deployed to the affected area and actively addressed the situation.
Despite the extension of the policing mission by the UN Security Council, the country continues to grapple with marauding gangs and collapsing security and health infrastructure.
More than 3,600 people have lost their lives in gang violence this year, and over 700,000 individuals, including many children, have been displaced due to the violence and resulting humanitarian crisis, according to the UN migration agency.