Kenya has committed to deploying an additional 600 police officers to Haiti in the coming weeks to bolster efforts in combating gang violence, particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and surrounding areas. This reinforcement will increase Kenya’s presence in Haiti to a total of 1,000 officers, part of an ongoing mission that began in June to support the Haitian police force.
During his visit to Haiti, Kenyan President William Ruto expressed support for transforming the current Kenya-led security mission into a full United Nations peacekeeping operation. Several other nations have also pledged to contribute, bringing the combined international force to over 1,900 personnel.
Despite these efforts, violence in Haiti remains rampant. A UN human rights expert warned that gangs are expanding into new areas, displacing more civilians. The UN Security Council is set to meet later this month to discuss extending Kenya’s mandate by an additional year, which could pave the way for a formal UN peacekeeping mission in 2025. Such a shift would potentially unlock more funding and resources for the mission, which has struggled with equipment shortages.
Speaking to Kenyan police officers in Port-au-Prince, President Ruto praised their progress in restoring security in Haiti, despite initial skepticism about the mission’s feasibility. “Many thought Haiti was a mission impossible, but you have changed that narrative through your dedication,” he said. He emphasized that the Kenyan forces, working alongside Haitian police, would prevail against the gangs and promised to advocate for better equipment to support their operations.
Currently, around 400 Kenyan officers are patrolling with Haitian forces. Ruto mentioned that an additional 600 officers are undergoing redeployment training and will soon be ready for action, pending the necessary logistical support.
However, criticism has emerged over the mission’s limited impact on controlling the gangs. A UN human rights expert, William O’Neil, recently highlighted that the mission remains under-equipped, lacking essential tools such as helicopters, night vision goggles, and drones. He stressed that, to date, less than a quarter of the planned multinational force authorized by the UN Security Council in October 2023 had been deployed.
O’Neil also pointed out that, despite international sanctions, arms and ammunition continue to flow into Haiti, enabling gangs to expand their control. Following his visit to Haiti’s southeast, he reported that local police forces were overwhelmed, lacking the technical and logistical capacity to effectively counter gang activities. A Haitian police officer in Jérémie described the situation as “bordering on the impossible.”
Additionally, O’Neil noted a sharp rise in sexual violence and displacement, with over 700,000 people currently displaced by the ongoing conflict. He called for urgent action, stating, “This enduring agony must stop. It is a race against time.” The solutions, he said, are already known but require immediate and intensified efforts. He urged that the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) be fully equipped to effectively support Haitian police operations, and for the UN to enforce its sanctions regime and arms embargo.
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