President William Ruto has expressed confidence that Kenya’s police units participating in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti will successfully fulfill their mandate.
Kenya has volunteered to lead the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) mandated mission aimed at bolstering Haiti’s understaffed and under-resourced security forces. These forces have been struggling to combat gangs that have seized control of much of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
Ruto announced this initiative on Friday following a briefing from the team that conducted an assessment mission to evaluate the preparedness of Kenyan police units for deployment.
“I am confident of the fulfilment of the mandate of UNSC Resolution 2699 (2023),” Ruto stated.
The deployment will involve 1,000 officers from the paramilitary General Service Unit Recce Squad, the Administration Police Rapid Deployment Force, and the Special Operations Group, with their arrival in Haiti slated for June.
Ruto’s comments came shortly after welcoming the appointment of Garry Conille as Prime Minister by Haiti’s Presidential Council, which was constituted in April following the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
Ruto emphasized Kenya’s commitment to supporting Haiti through its current crisis, stating, “Kenya expresses its strong solidarity with Haiti, as we look forward to working with you and your government to restore Haiti to a path of sustainable development,” in a congratulatory note on Wednesday.
Haiti’s Presidential Council named Conille as Prime Minister on Tuesday, May 28. Reacting to his appointment, Conille pledged to mobilize efforts for Haiti’s recovery, remarking, “Together, we will work for a better tomorrow for all the children of our nation,” and acknowledging the civil society organizations, political parties, and diaspora members who proposed his appointment.
