Kenyan President Ruto visits Haiti amid multinational mission challenges, announces additional police deployment

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Kenyan President William Ruto announced Saturday that an additional 600 police officers would be deployed between October and November, bringing his country’s participation in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti to 1,000 as initially pledged. This move aims to bolster the Haitian National Police (PNH) in its fight against gang violence.

During his visit to Haiti, the first of any Kenyan president in the history of the relations between the two nations, Ruto praised the efforts of the 400 Kenyan police officers already stationed in Haiti and discussed the necessity for increasing personnel and equipment with the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT).

“Your success is not only going to be the success of the national police service; it is going to be the success of the people of Haiti and the success of all the people who believe in stability, dignity, and democracy,” the Kenyan president told his officers. He expressed confidence in their ability to help restore peace in Haiti.

Edgar Gardy Leblanc Fils, president of the CPT, welcomed Ruto at Toussaint Louverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital. This visit follows the initial deployment of Kenyan police three months ago as part of the multinational mission.

During a joint press conference with Leblanc, Ruto expressed positive feedback on the Kenyan police’s collaboration with Haitian forces, particularly in securing the capital’s port and the National Police Academy in Pétion-Ville. Leblanc, on his part, emphasized the need for increased personnel and equipment to strengthen operations and sustainably enable the Haitian state to manage its own security in the long term.

Ruto also addressed the necessity for more involvement from the United Nations, pledging to share insights on Haiti’s situation with the UN General Assembly. He acknowledged the challenges but affirmed Kenya’s commitment to helping bring peace to Haiti.

Mission challenges and international response

Despite the multinational mission’s progress, it faces significant challenges, including delays in deployment and the failure to receive promised equipment and funding. During a recent visit to Haiti, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested transforming the mission into a UN operation to secure necessary funding and facilitate its success. Currently, the MSS comprises 426 personnel, including 400 Kenyan police officers, 24 Jamaican police and soldiers, and two Belizean military personnel.

In a recent interview with Agence France Presse (AFP), UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was very critical of the slow financial response from member states, highlighting the urgent need for funding to support Haiti’s security crisis. Only six countries have contributed to the UN fund for the mission, with Canada and the United States being the largest donors.

“When there is a war, money is always found. When there is a financial crisis, and banks need to be saved, money is always found. When people are suffering in such a desperate situation, and only a relatively small amount of money is needed to establish a small force in Haiti, it is totally unacceptable that this money is not available,” Guterres said.

So far, only six countries have financially contributed funds to the non-UN mission, created about a year ago by a UN Security Council resolution. The contributors are Canada, with $45 million in cash; the United States, with $15 million; France, with $3 million; Italy, with $360,000; and Turkey, with $50,000.

In light of this issue, Blinken reiterated the crucial need for the UN to transform the mission, making it more apt to achieve its goals. He signaled the U.S. plans to anchor a ministerial meeting during the 79th UN General Assembly, taking place in New York from Sept. 10 to 28, to encourage further contributions and renew the mission’s mandate.

“Your success is not only going to be the success of the national police service; it is going to be the success of the people of Haiti and the success of all the people who believe in stability, dignity, and democracy.”

William Ruto, President of Kenya

President Ruto expressed no opposition to transforming the Kenya-le mission into a UN peacekeeping operation if decided by the UN Security Council. He reiterated that Kenya’s mandate is to support the Haitian police, not to lead a military mission.

Ongoing security concerns

Despite collaborative efforts, the security situation in Haiti remains precarious. In August, the PNH, supported by Kenyan officers, launched an anti-gang operation in several areas in Port-au-Prince, but no tangible outcomes have yet been seen or reported.

President Ruto’s visit before attending the 79th UN General Assembly, which hosts over 100 world leaders, underscores the international commitment to addressing Haiti’s security challenges. However, significant hurdles remain as the mission seeks to stabilize the nation.

Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille, overseeing joint operations, continues to promise results and urges Haitians to be patient. However, concerns persist about holding elections amid ongoing insecurity despite the presence of international security forces.

On Wednesday, the Haitian government took the first steps toward organizing elections by appointing the much-anticipated Provisional Electoral Council (CEP). However, skepticism remains about the feasibility of elections in the current climate.

“What will this CEP be used for?” Reginald Dumé, a leader of the Petrochallengers group, asked.

“To carry out the elections, we must have security first,” he said.

“There is no signal on the ground to suggest that, on a security level, the country would experience some relief anytime soon. And after 100 days since Conille took office, nothing has changed.”

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Kenyan President Ruto visits Haiti amid multinational mission challenges, announces additional police deployment was first posted on September 22, 2024 at 3:29 pm.