US, UN Welcome Kenya Leading a Multinational Force in Haiti
Kenya is responding to Haiti’s call to the international community for assistance in addressing gang violence and improving security
HOUSTON: Last October, Haiti’s Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, requested international support to help the nation deal with gangs and rampant violence. United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, has since been conducting a campaign to find a nation to lead the effort to restore order. Kenya’s foreign ministry recently responded saying it is considering taking the lead role and is offering 1,000 police officers to assist and train the Haitian National Police.
"Kenya has accepted to positively consider leading a Multi-National Force to Haiti," Kenyan Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua said in a statement. "Kenya's commitment is to deploy a contingent of 1,000 police officers to help train and assist Haitian police restore normalcy in the country and protect strategic installations.”
The secretary-general has expressed support for Kenya’s offer while calling for other nations to join the “non-UN” multinational efforts to support Haiti’s police. Kenya’s foreign ministry later said that their offer would solidify when the UN Security Council adopts a resolution giving a mandate for the force. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US supports Kenya’s call for a UN Security Council resolution.
“The United States commends the Government of Kenya for responding to Haiti’s call and for considering to serve as the lead nation for a multinational force in Haiti to assist in addressing insecurity caused by gang violence,” Secretary Blinken said in a statement. “The United States looks forward to working with partners of Haiti to advance this process successfully, including through a UN Security Council Resolution authorizing a multinational force to Haiti.”
It is estimated that gangs control as much as 60% of Haiti’s capital. Kidnappings, carjackings, armed robbery, and violent crimes are rampant and continue to “escalate and spread,” according to Secretary-General Guterres. Earlier this month the Security Council adopted a unanimous resolution encouraging member states "to provide security support to the Haitian National Police" through "the deployment of a specialized force."
The resolution stopped short of making a plan to intervene but did ask Guterres to report on all possible options by mid-August. Earlier this week, the Biden administration ordered all non-essential personnel and the families of government employees to leave the country for their own safety. Haiti remains the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere due in large part to colonialist policies by Western Nations that include, but is not limited to the, US and France.
Arturo is a writer, journalist, and publisher of The Antagonist Magazine and a regular contributor at Latino Rebels and Unicorn Riot. You can find him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.