Kenya’s Readiness Wins US Praise for Haiti Police Deployment
The United States government has praised Kenya’s pledge to send 1,000 police officers to Haiti to assist in training and restoring order in the crisis-stricken nation.
In a statement released on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged Kenya and urged Haitians to quickly restore democratic order.
Blinken tweeted, “We commend the Kenyan government for responding to Haiti’s request and leading a multinational force to assist Haitian police in restoring security.”
“We call on Haitian stakeholders to urgently broaden political consensus to restore democratic order as soon as conditions permit.”
Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Dr. Alfred Mutua stated on Saturday that Kenya’s proposed deployment will occur after obtaining a mandate from the United Nations Security Council and completing other constitutional procedures.
“Kenya stands with people of African descent around the world, including those in the Caribbean, and aligns with the African Union’s diaspora policy and our commitment to Pan-Africanism and, in this instance, to reclaiming the Atlantic crossing,” Mutua said at the time.
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“Within the coming weeks, a Task Team of the Kenya Police will conduct an Assessment Mission. This evaluation will inform and direct the mission’s mandate and operational requirements.”
Since then, Haiti has accepted “with great interest” Kenya’s offer to command a 1,000-member multinational force to bolster security in the violence-ravaged Caribbean nation.
“Haiti appreciates this expression of African solidarity,” Foreign Minister Jean Victor Geneus said in a statement released on Sunday, “and looks forward to welcoming Kenya’s proposed evaluation mission.”
Following the assassination of former President Jovenel Moise in 2021, crime and unrest have swept through Haiti.
The influence of criminal organizations in the country has led to an increase in violent crimes such as kidnappings for ransom, carjackings, rapes, and armed robberies.
Ariel Henry, who succeeded Moise as prime minister, has been tasked with curbing the violence, even though the country faces humanitarian, political, and security crises due to its feeble government and overburdened security forces.
Kenya’s Readiness Wins US Praise for Haiti Police Deployment
