Kenya and Haiti Call in Pledged Support to Strengthen Anti-Gang Mission

The leaders of Kenya and Haiti are urging the international community to fulfill their commitments to a U.N.-backed peacekeeping mission aimed at quelling gang violence in Haiti. During a meeting in Nairobi on Friday, Kenyan President William Ruto and Haiti’s Prime Minister Garry Conille emphasised the need for additional resources and personnel to ensure the mission’s success.

Kenya, which leads the multinational effort, has already deployed nearly 400 officers to Haiti. However, the mission remains under-resourced, with fewer than 450 officers on the ground, falling significantly short of the 2,500 pledged by various nations, including Chad, Benin, Bangladesh, and Barbados. Despite these challenges, Kenya has committed to sending an additional 600 officers next month, bringing their total contribution to 1,000.

The mission’s budget, which currently stands at $85 million, is also under strain. Of the pledged funds, only $68 million has been received, and the budget is set to run out by March 2025.

A Growing Crisis in Haiti

Haiti has been grappling with escalating gang violence since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Armed gangs now control up to 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, contributing to a surge in kidnappings, rapes, and killings. Last week, one of Haiti’s most powerful gangs, Gran Grif, carried out a deadly attack, killing over 115 people in a farming region.

Also read: Kenyan President Ruto Visits Haiti and Pledges Additional 600 Police Officers

Also read: Haiti Declares State of Emergency Amid Escalating Gang Violence

Despite these challenges, both Ruto and Conille remain optimistic about the mission’s progress. Ruto emphasised that ongoing operations have shown promising results, while Conille praised the quick response by the Kenyan-led contingent to last week’s massacre, which helped stabilise the affected area.

International Cooperation and Future Plans

In early October, the U.N. Security Council voted to extend the mandate of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission for another year. However, a proposal to transform it into a full U.N. peacekeeping mission was dropped due to opposition from Russia and China.

Ruto and Conille called on international partners to honour their pledges and provide the necessary resources and personnel. “The fight against Haiti’s gangs is winnable,” Conille said, emphasising the critical need for continued global support.

As Haiti faces increasing violence, displacement, and hunger, with over 700,000 people forced from their homes and nearly half of the population experiencing food insecurity, the success of the Kenya-led mission will depend on the fulfillment of international commitments and the continued strengthening of the MSS.