Kenya will lead the mission in Haiti when an interim president is elected

2024-03-14 00:30:55

Kenya will lead the multinational security mission that must be deployed in Haiti once the Caribbean country has a new interim president, confirmed this Wednesday the Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken.

The head of US diplomacy spoke by phone with Kenyan President William Ruto, who assured him that his country remains willing to lead the deployment of police to address the security crisis in Haiti.

“He confirmed to me that Kenya is prepared to lead the mission as soon as there is a new (transitional) council, something we believe will happen in the coming days, and an interim president is elected,” Blinken detailed in a press conference.

The Secretary of State admitted the difficulties that the mission faces, but trusted that with the economic and logistical support of several countries, including the United States, its deployment will be achieved.

“None of this is easy. None of this will happen overnight, but at least we have a plan to do it. A plan designed by Haiti and led by Haiti, but supported by many countries,” he explained.

Following the announcement of the resignation of Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, Kenya’s Foreign Minister announced on Tuesday the postponement of the deployment of police in the Caribbean country.

But Ruto reassured Blinken this Wednesday by confirming that he remains willing to lead the multinational mission as soon as he assumes new leadership in Haiti.

The implementation of the transitional council was agreed last Monday at a meeting convened by the Caribbean Community (Caricom) in Jamaica, attended by Haitian representatives, the UN and international partners, including the United States.

Since the assassination of Jovenel Moise in July 2021, Haiti has no president and Henry is currently its top leader.

In October 2023, the UN Security Council authorized the sending of a support mission to the Haitian National Police, in response to the request expressed a year earlier by the Haitian Prime Minister to eradicate armed gangs.