Kenyan police officers could be dispatched to Haiti as early as May 23, as negotiations between the two nations for a security mission have reached advanced stages.
A delegation of senior Kenyan security officials is currently in Washington DC to finalize plans for the deployment of police personnel to Haiti.
The team, led by Deputy Inspector General of Administration of Police Noor Gabow, arrived in the US on Monday for a series of discussions on the agreement. Sources indicate that the parties will agree on the initial number of police officers to be sent to Haiti by May 23, with approximately 200 officers set to be deployed initially.
These developments coincide with reports of civilian contractors arriving in Haiti to assist in preparations for the arrival of Kenyan forces.
A senior Biden administration official confirmed to the Miami Herald about the developments in Haiti. Todd D Robinson, the US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, disclosed that an initial deployment of Kenyan police officers is being planned to coincide with the visit of President William Ruto to Washington later this month.
The White House has confirmed that President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host Ruto and his wife, First Lady Rachel Ruto, for a state visit on May 23, marking the 60th anniversary of US-Kenya diplomatic relations.
“The initial deployment will happen sometime around his State visit,” Robinson said, declining to provide an exact date or the number of officers to be deployed as part of the long-awaited Multinational Security Support mission.
Kenya will lead multi-agency teams to Haiti to combat gangs, with the first team of about 200 officers expected to land in Haiti on May 24.
Sources indicate that American troops are currently engaged in constructing barracks to accommodate the arriving Kenyan officers.
The Kenyan officers will be tasked with combating gangs that have exerted significant control over parts of Haiti.
Nairobi intends to deploy over 1,000 officers to Haiti to assist in the mission, drawn from units including the Rapid Deployment Unit, Anti Stock Theft Unit, General Service Unit, and Border Patrol Unit. These units are comprised of combat-trained personnel capable of professionally handling the ground situation.
Ruto affirmed the country’s readiness to deploy police to Haiti to address the issue of gangs that have been controlling significant parts of the country.
According to the Miami Herald, on Friday, May 3, following the sighting of US helicopters flying over Port-au-Prince, the US Southern Command landed another aircraft at Toussaint Louverture International Airport.
