Kenyan Troops En Route to Haiti Ahead of Ruto’s US Diplomatic Tour
Officials familiar with the deployment confirmed that Kenyan troops are ready to land in Haiti.
A contingent of approximately 200 troops, set to be the first sent to the Caribbean nation, received instructions over the weekend to be prepared for departure before President William Ruto’s scheduled visit to the US.
The deployment window for the team from Kenya to Haiti is anticipated to be between May 18 and 22.
The White House announced that President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host President Ruto and First Lady Rachael for a state visit on May 23, commemorating the 60th anniversary of US-Kenya diplomatic relations.
A delegation of senior Kenyan security officials recently returned from Washington DC, where they finalized deployment plans.
Arriving in the US on May 6, the team engaged in a series of meetings and negotiations, concluding their visit five days later.
According to a source knowledgeable about the arrangements, all preparations have been made, and the deployment is pending a signal.
Korir Sing’oei, Principal Secretary of Foreign Affairs, stated last week that the troops are fully prepared for deployment.
This announcement coincides with reports indicating civilian contractors’ readiness for the arrival of Kenyan forces, whose deployment is currently in progress.
The construction of barracks to accommodate the Kenyan team has already been completed.
In addition to Kenya, several other countries, including Chile, Jamaica, Grenada, Paraguay, Burundi, Chad, Nigeria, and Mauritius, will dispatch officers to Haiti.
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A senior Biden administration official confirmed to the Miami Herald the ongoing developments in Haiti.
Todd D Robinson, the US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, informed the Miami Herald that an initial deployment of Kenyan police officers is being coordinated to coincide with President Ruto’s visit to Washington later this month.
The deployment is anticipated to occur around the time of his state visit, although Robinson did not specify the exact date or the number of officers to be deployed as part of the long-awaited Multinational Security Support mission.
Kenya will lead the multinational teams tasked with combating gangs in Haiti.
According to sources, American troops are actively involved in constructing barracks to accommodate the deployed forces.
Kenya, which leads the effort to combat gangs, plans to deploy over 1,000 officers to Haiti to support the mission.
The teams comprise members from the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU), Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), General Service Unit (GSU), and Border Patrol Unit (BPU), all of whom are trained for combat and deemed capable of handling the situation professionally.
President Ruto affirmed the country’s readiness to deploy police to Haiti to address the prevalent gang control.
Following the sighting of US helicopters in Port-au-Prince on May 3, another US aircraft landed at Toussaint Louverture International Airport, transporting civilian contractors tasked with supporting the Pentagon in preparing the area where the Kenyan support mission will be stationed during their time in Haiti.
The Pentagon has allocated $200 million to facilitate the mission, with a 45-day timeframe for establishing a base for the forces.
Officials from the Department of Defense declined to divulge specifics regarding their housing plans, emphasizing the importance of securely housing the deployed forces.
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Ruto initially pledged 1,000 police officers in July 2023 to lead an international force to assist Haiti’s national police, subject to his government’s security assessment and a mandate from the UN Security Council, which was granted in October.
Despite overcoming court challenges, the initiative still lacks sufficient funding, with Republican lawmakers in Congress withholding $40 million of the $100 million pledged by the State Department to support the mission.
Amidst delays, Haiti faces a dire humanitarian crisis, with thousands of lives lost or injured and millions struggling to access adequate food supplies.
The UN, along with the US, has urged swift deployment of the Kenyan-led mission and humanitarian assistance.
Robinson noted that while there are funds available for Kenya’s personnel expenses and the initial deployment, additional funding is required.
Haiti’s transitional ruling council, formed following the resignation of its prime minister amidst escalating gang violence, appointed politician Edgard Leblanc Fils as its head on April 30.
Leblanc Fils, a former Senate president, will play a coordinating role within the nine-member governing body tasked with restoring order in Haiti.
The council’s formation marks a step towards reinstating functional government in the absence of parliamentary and presidential leadership since the assassination of Jovenel Moise in 2021.
The transitional council is expected to govern until new elections are held, with an elected government scheduled to assume power by February 6, 2026.
Kenyan Troops En Route to Haiti Ahead of Ruto’s US Diplomatic Tour