Haiti’s Prime Minister Garry Conille has jetted off to Kenya, engaging in discussions with President William Ruto.
Kenya has urgently sought global financial backing to keep their police forces active in Haiti, an operation extended by another year.
Since its launch in June, this international security mission aims to curb the violent grip gangs have on Port-au-Prince and its outskirts.
The UN reports over 3,600 fatalities in Haiti this year alone, with more than 100 being children, and half a million individuals have been displaced from their homes.
“We urge the global community,” said President Ruto on Friday, “to transform their words and promises into decisive action, enabling us to fulfill our mission.”
These remarks came after his Nairobi meeting with Haiti’s Prime Minister, Garry Conille.
Everything isn’t rosy in Haiti, with violence still rampant, as gangs expand into new territories, sparking more displacement, according to a UN rights expert.
Starting in June, Kenya dispatched 400 of its planned 1,000 police officers, with the rest currently in training to join by next month.
A mix of other nations has also collectively committed to providing at least another 1,900 officers.
This mission, backed by the UN Security Council, stands independent of the UN and relies heavily on willing contributions.
So far, only a fraction—$85 million (£65 million)—of the estimated $600 million needed annually has been funneled through a UN-established trust, per Human Rights Watch.
Though spending details remain fuzzy, Ruto stressed the necessity for more funds to “keep the wheels turning” until October next year.
“Once money flows in, expect tangible mission advancements,” remarked President Ruto.
He noted that current funding would dry up by March next year.
“We’ve had openings of success visible from our actions so far,” Ruto continued, revealing the mission’s reassuring progress toward stability.
Prime Minister Conille appealed to global partners to fulfill their commitments, ensuring Kenyan forces have adequate resources.
He refuted claims that Kenyan officers were idling like tourists as gangs tightened their dominance in parts of Port-au-Prince.
“I’ve witnessed the Kenyan troops myself during tricky city center operations—they’re patrolling essential zones like universities and hospitals,” Conille shared.
“They’re also engaging with northern gangs head-on,” he added.
In a unanimous decision last month, the UN Security Council extended the mission’s term an additional year but declined to reshape it into a UN peacekeeping effort when Haiti requested it.
A visiting UN human rights expert noted that the mission lacks crucial resources, such as helicopters and advanced tech like night vision and drones.
“Authorized by the UN Security Council in October 2023, the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) has utilized less than a quarter of its intended team,” stated William O’Neil last month.
Edited by: Ali Musa
Axadle international–Monitoring
