Kenya is set to deploy 600 more police officers to Haiti next month as part of an international mission to combat gang violence, President William Ruto announced on Friday. This move came during a visit by Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille, aimed at accelerating troop deployments to the Multinational Security Support (MSS) force, led by Kenya.
The MSS has garnered commitments from at least 10 countries, pledging around 2,900 troops in total. However, since the U.N.-approved mission began in June, only 430 troops have been deployed, with nearly 400 of them hailing from Kenya.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, remains under the control of heavily-armed gangs, who continue to seize more territory. Just last week, the Gran Grif gang orchestrated one of the deadliest attacks in the nation’s recent history, killing over 115 people in a farming area, as reported by a local mayor.
Despite these challenges, President Ruto remains optimistic. “This is a battle we can win,” he said, highlighting the mission’s ongoing efforts to stabilize Haiti. He also confirmed that Kenya’s additional 600 officers are currently in training and will be ready for deployment next month.
Prime Minister Conille praised the swift response of both the Haitian police and Kenyan forces to the recent massacre, noting that they were able to deploy rapidly to secure the affected region.
The situation in Haiti remains dire, with over 700,000 people displaced and nearly half the population—around five million—facing food insecurity, according to the United Nations.
Last month, the U.N. Security Council extended the MSS mandate for another year. However, a proposal to transition the mission into a full U.N. peacekeeping force was dropped after opposition from Russia and China.
