Kenya Pledges To Deploy 600 Additional Police Officers To Haiti Amid Rising Gang Violence

Kenya has committed to deploying an additional 600 police officers to Haiti in the coming weeks, which will increase the Kenyan contingent to 1,000 personnel assisting the country’s struggling police force in combating gang violence.

This announcement was made by President William Ruto during his visit to Haiti, where he expressed support for transforming the current Kenya-led security mission into a full United Nations peacekeeping operation.

The move comes as violence in Haiti continues to escalate, with gangs gaining control over more areas, leading to significant displacement. The UN Security Council is set to convene by the end of the month to discuss the renewal of Kenya’s current mandate for another year, potentially facilitating the establishment of a comprehensive UN mission by 2025 that would bring increased funding and resources to the operation, which has been limited by equipment shortages.

Addressing Kenyan police officers stationed in Port-au-Prince, President Ruto praised their efforts and the progress made in recent months. “There are many people who thought Haiti was mission impossible, but today they have changed their minds because of the progress you have made,” he stated, promising to improve their equipment.

Currently, nearly 400 Kenyan officers are on the ground, conducting patrols alongside Haitian forces to restore security. Ruto noted that the next group of 600 officers is undergoing redeployment training and will be ready for deployment shortly.

However, there has been criticism regarding the mission’s effectiveness against the gangs. A UN human rights expert, William O’Neil, highlighted the inadequacies of the mission, citing the need for helicopters, night vision goggles, and drones to enhance operational capacity.

He reported that the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), authorised by the UN Security Council, has deployed less than a quarter of its planned personnel.

Despite an international arms embargo, gangs continue to smuggle weapons into Haiti, expanding their territorial control. O’Neil remarked on the dire situation faced by the police, with one officer in Jérémie describing their challenges as bordering on the impossible.

The rise in sexual violence and the displacement of over 700,000 people further underline the urgent need for effective intervention.

“This enduring agony must stop. It is a race against time,” O’Neil stated, calling for immediate action to equip the MSS Mission adequately to support the Haitian National Police and enforce measures outlined by the UN Security Council, including sanctions and an arms embargo.

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