Kenya to Deploy 600 More Police Officers to Haiti as Part of International Peacekeeping Efforts
Kenya plans to send 600 more police officers to Haiti, raising the total to 1,000, to assist in combating gangs in Port-au-Prince. President Ruto supports transforming the mission into a full UN peacekeeping operation as the UN reviews Kenya's mandate. Read More
Kenya plans to send 600 more police officers to Haiti soon. This is to help combat the gangs that control much of Port-au-Prince and nearby areas. With this addition, the total number of Kenyan officers will reach 1,000. They've been sent gradually since June to assist the local police force, which has faced many challenges.
Kenya’s President William Ruto visited Haiti recently and expressed support for changing the current Kenya-led mission into a full United Nations peacekeeping operation. Other nations have also pledged at least 1,900 additional troops to support Haiti.
Currently, violence remains high in Haiti. A UN human rights expert noted that gangs are expanding into new areas, which is causing even more people to flee their homes.The UN Security Council is set to meet by the end of the month. They’ll decide if they will renew Kenya's mandate for another 12 months, allowing for a full UN mission by 2025.This change would bring in more funding and resources for operations that have struggled due to a lack of equipment.
Talking to Kenyan officers at their base in Port-au-Prince, President Ruto praised their efforts over recent months.“There were many who believed Haiti was mission impossible. But today, thoughts have changed because of your progress,” he stated. He believes they can defeat the gangs and promised to seek better equipment for them.
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Nearly 400 Kenyan officers actively patrol “working alongside Haitian forces to safeguard the people and restore security,” Ruto explained. “Our next group of 600 is in training now. We’ll be ready to deploy in a few weeks and need the necessary support for that,” he added.
Still, some voices in Haiti have criticized the slow response against gangs. A UN human rights expert recently expressed concerns over inadequate equipment for the mission, highlighting a need for helicopters, night vision goggles, and drones.“The Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), authorized by the UN Security Council in October 2023, has deployed less than a quarter of its intended forces so far,” William O’Neil remarked on Friday.
Despite an international arms embargo, illegal weapons continue flowing into Haiti. This has allowed gangs to expand their influence over new regions. The expert visited south Eastern Haiti and reported that police lack the necessary logistics and technology to tackle gang violence effectively. He shared a quote from a policeman in Jérémie: “The situation borders on the impossible. We have to learn to walk on water. ”Sexual violence has increased drastically. More than 700,000 people are now displaced due to ongoing conflict. “This enduring agony must stop. It’s a race against time,” Mr. O’Neil declared.
He stressed that solutions exist but efforts must ramp up quickly.“It’s crucial to curb gang activities by equipping the MSS Mission properly while supporting Haitian National Police operations as well as implementing other UN Security Council measures like sanctions and targeted arms embargoes.”
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