Kenya has committed to sending 600 additional police officers to Haiti in the coming weeks, bolstering the ongoing efforts to combat gangs that have seized control of much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and surrounding areas.
This move will bring the total number of Kenyan officers deployed since June to 1,000, as part of a mission aimed at supporting Haiti’s struggling police force.
During his visit to Haiti, President William Ruto reiterated Kenya’s dedication to the mission and endorsed the transformation of the current Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) into a full United Nations peacekeeping operation.
This shift could significantly boost resources and funding, which have so far been limited due to equipment shortages.
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“We have made significant progress, and the people of Haiti are beginning to feel the impact,” President Ruto said, while addressing the nearly 400 Kenyan officers already stationed in Haiti. “There are many people who thought Haiti was mission impossible, but today they have changed their minds because of the progress you have made.”
Ruto praised the Kenyan officers for their patrols alongside Haitian police forces and promised to seek better equipment for the mission.
The new batch of 600 officers is currently undergoing redeployment training and is expected to be ready for action in the coming weeks.
Violence in Haiti remains rampant, with gangs extending their control to new territories. A UN human rights expert, William O’Neil, recently visited the country and highlighted the challenges the mission faces, particularly the lack of essential equipment such as helicopters, drones, and night vision goggles.
O’Neil stressed the need for immediate action to curb the influence of gangs, noting that the current deployment falls short of the planned contingent size authorized by the UN Security Council in October 2023.
Despite international embargoes, arms and ammunition continue to be smuggled into Haiti, further empowering gangs and contributing to increased violence and displacement. More than 700,000 people have now been displaced, and incidents of sexual violence have surged.
“This enduring agony must stop. It is a race against time,” O’Neil warned, urging the international community to reinforce the MSS mission and support the Haitian National Police in their operations. He also called for the implementation of additional measures, including a sanctions regime and a targeted arms embargo, to cut off the flow of illegal weapons to the gangs.
The UN Security Council is set to meet by the end of the month to decide whether to renew Kenya’s mandate for another 12 months, a move that could pave the way for a full UN peacekeeping mission by 2025.
This transition is expected to bring in more international troops, with several countries having already pledged an additional 1,900 soldiers.