Kenyan President Ruto visits Haiti as part of multinational mission challenges, announces deployment of additional police

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Kenyan President William Ruto announced Saturday the deployment of 600 additional police officers between October and November, bringing the number of officers his country has committed to the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in Haiti to 1,000, as originally planned. The move is aimed at strengthening the Haitian National Police (PNH) in its fight against gang violence.

During his visit to Haiti, the first by a Kenyan president in the history of relations between the two nations, Ruto commended the efforts of the 400 Kenyan police officers already stationed in Haiti and discussed the need to increase the personnel and equipment of the Transitional Presidential Council (TPC).

“Your success will not only be that of the national police, but also that of the Haitian people and all those who believe in stability, dignity and democracy,” the Kenyan president told his officers. He expressed confidence in their ability to contribute to the restoration of peace in Haiti.

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

In a joint press conference with Leblanc, Ruto expressed his positive impressions of the collaboration of the Kenyan police with the Haitian forces, particularly in securing the port of the capital and the National Police Academy in Petion-Ville. Leblanc, for his part, stressed the need to increase personnel and equipment to strengthen operations and enable the Haitian state to sustainably manage its own security in the long term.

Ruto also spoke of the need for greater UN involvement, pledging to share his thoughts on the situation in Haiti with the UN General Assembly. He acknowledged the challenges but affirmed Kenya’s commitment to help bring peace to Haiti.

Mission Challenges and International Response

Despite the progress made by the multinational mission, it faces significant challenges, including delays in deployment and the failure to receive promised equipment and funding. During a recent visit to Haiti, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested transforming the mission into a UN operation to secure the 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 highly critical of the slow financial response from member states, stressing the urgent need for funding to support the security crisis in Haiti. Only six countries have contributed to the UN fund for the mission, with Canada and the United States being the largest donors.

“In times of war, there is always money. In times of financial crisis, and when banks need to be bailed out, there is always money. When people are suffering in such desperate circumstances, and a relatively small amount of money is enough to establish a small force in Haiti, it is completely unacceptable that this money is not available,” Mr. Guterres said.

So far, only six countries have contributed financially to the non-UN mission, which was 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 critical need for the UN to transform the mission, so that it is better able to achieve its objectives. He shared the US plan to hold a ministerial meeting during the 79th UN General Assembly, to be held in New York from September 10 to 28, to encourage new contributions and renew the mission’s mandate.

“Your success will not only be the success of the national police; it will be the success of the Haitian people and the success of all those who believe in stability, dignity and democracy.

William Ruto, President of Kenya

President Ruto expressed no opposition to the transformation of the Kenyan mission into a UN peacekeeping operation if the UN Security Council so decides. He reiterated that Kenya’s mandate is to support the Haitian police and not to lead a military mission.

Continuing 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 neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince, but no tangible results have yet been observed or reported.

President Ruto’s visit ahead of the 79th United Nations General Assembly, which hosts more than 100 world leaders, underscores international commitment to addressing Haiti’s security challenges. However, significant obstacles remain as the mission seeks to stabilize the country.

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

The Haitian government took the first steps toward holding elections on Wednesday by appointing the long-awaited Provisional Electoral Council (CEP). However, skepticism remains about the feasibility of elections in the current climate.

“What will this CEP be used for?” asks Réginald Dumé, one of the leaders of the Petrochallengers group.

“To carry out elections successfully, we must first ensure security,” he said.

“There are no signs on the ground that suggest that, security-wise, the country will see any relief in the near future. And 100 days after Conille came to power, nothing has changed.”

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