Kenya’s Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua announced that Kenya is ready to lead a multinational force in Haiti, offering to deploy 1,000 police officers to the strife-torn Caribbean nation once its offer is accepted. Haiti has been facing significant challenges, with around 80 percent of the capital controlled by gangs and violent crimes such as kidnappings, armed robbery, and carjackings being prevalent.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry have been seeking international intervention to support the police in Haiti for nearly a year, but no country had previously stepped forward.
Kenya’s offer signifies its commitment to helping train and assist Haitian police in restoring normalcy in the country and protecting strategic installations. The proposed deployment, however, requires a mandate from the UN Security Council and approval from domestic authorities.
To proceed with the mission, an assessment mission by a task team from the Kenya Police is scheduled in the coming weeks. The findings of this assessment will inform the mandate and operational requirements of the mission.
Haiti, being the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation, has faced compounded humanitarian, political, and security crises, with gangs controlling most of Port-au-Prince. Violence in the country has escalated, leading to murders, kidnappings, sexual assaults, looting, and the displacement of thousands of people.
The UN Security Council recently adopted a resolution encouraging member states to provide security support to the Haitian National Police, but it stopped short of making any direct plans for a specialized force.
In light of the deteriorating situation, the US has been actively searching for a country to head a multinational force in Haiti. Washington has taken precautionary measures by ordering nonessential personnel and family of government employees to leave the country, while embassy staff in Port-au-Prince already operate under tight security measures.
As Kenya steps up to potentially lead the multinational force, it brings hope for international support in addressing Haiti’s security challenges and assisting in restoring stability to the troubled nation.
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