UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has welcomed Kenya’s commitment to lead an international force in assisting Haiti’s police in combating gang violence. He also urged other countries, particularly those in Haiti’s region, to join this effort.
In a statement on Saturday, Kenya’s Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua stated that Kenya was prepared to deploy 1,000 police officers to train and support Haiti’s police in restoring normalcy and protecting critical infrastructure.
Having received a request from Haiti’s government for international security assistance last year, Guterres supported this request. In October, he proposed the deployment of a “rapid action force” from one or more countries to support Haiti in tackling the violent gangs that have essentially taken control of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
U.N. spokesperson Farhan Haq stated on Monday that Guterres “appreciates Kenya’s consideration to potentially lead a non-U.N. multinational force.” Haq added, “The Secretary-General reiterates his call to the Security Council to support such a non-U.N. international operation and encourages member states, particularly from the region, to join forces with Kenya.”
While there has been widespread support for a rapid action force, with several countries expressing their willingness to contribute, no country has volunteered to lead the deployment until now. Diplomats revealed that the United States had been urging Canada to take the lead, considering that French is commonly spoken in both Canada and Haiti.
When asked about Kenya’s announcement, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his satisfaction with the growing involvement of other countries to provide assistance. He also mentioned ongoing discussions with the U.N. concerning Canada’s potential contribution to Haiti.
Referring to U.N. support options for Haiti, Guterres is set to submit a report to the U.N. Security Council by mid-August. This report will outline various options, including support for a non-U.N. multinational force or a possible peacekeeping operation.
The U.S. State Department announced on Monday that the United States and Ecuador would be drafting a U.N. Security Council resolution to authorize the deployment of an international security force to Haiti. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller affirmed their commitment to securing the necessary resources for this multinational force.
Haiti has been under an unelected administration since January, and Prime Minister Ariel Henry has emphasized that fair elections cannot occur amidst the current insecurity. In March, Canada pledged C$100 million ($75 million) in aid for Haiti’s police and, in collaboration with the United States, delivered tactical and armored vehicles and other supplies.
Historically, U.N. peacekeepers were sent to Haiti in 2004 after a rebellion resulted in the ousting and exile of then-President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Peacekeeping troops withdrew in 2017 and were subsequently replaced by U.N. police, who departed in 2019.
Haitians remain cautious regarding the presence of armed U.N. personnel due to past incidents. In 2010, U.N. peacekeepers introduced cholera to the country when infected sewage was dumped into a river. This outbreak resulted in over 9,000 deaths and approximately 800,000 people falling ill.
(Additional reporting by Ismail Shakil and David Ljunggren, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien)
Credit: The Star : News Feed
