Kenya has reiterated its commitment to lead a Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in support of the Haitian National Police as it struggles to contain gangs threatening to depose the government.
Speaking on Thursday at the High-Level Meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council ad hoc advisory group on Haiti convened and chaired by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Foreign Affairs CS Dr. Alfred Mutua appealed for more support from the international community even as Kenya leads the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission.
”The eventual stability and prosperity of Haiti would not only be beneficial to her neighbors and the region but would also be a force for good for global peace and security architecture,” CS Mutua said.
On the margins of #UNGA78 in New York, I represented President Dr. @WilliamsRuto at the High Level Meeting of the @UNECOSOC Ad hoc Advisory Group on Haiti, with Caribbean Partners, that had been convened and chaired by Canada Prime Minister @JustinTrudeau. pic.twitter.com/MEaCst6UFm
— Dr. Alfred N. Mutua (@DrAlfredMutua) September 22, 2023
On Tuesday, Haiti’s most powerful gang leader called for the armed overthrow of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, urging Haitians to take to the streets against the unelected government in the latest escalation of a country undergoing a humanitarian crisis.
Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier, a former police officer who now heads a powerful coalition of gangs that controls large parts of Port-au-Prince, led his group of armed men on a march through the capital, blocking roads and banging drums.
Gangs have overpowered Haitian police, with experts estimating they now control some 80% of Port-au-Prince since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise.
Kenya has said it’s considering a commitment of 1,000 police officers to the multinational force while several Caribbean nations have indicated an openness to contributing hundreds of personnel.Â
