Ruto Says Haiti Mission To Go Ahead Despite Court Ruling
Kenyan President William Ruto informed Reuters on Tuesday that, despite a recent court order in Nairobi hindering the deployment, Kenya remains committed to moving forward with its initiative to spearhead a United Nations-sanctioned security mission in Haiti.
The global initiative is designed to address the widespread issue of gang violence in the Caribbean country, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 5,000 individuals last year. The initial funding for this effort is expected to come from the United States.
The mission was thrown into doubt after the Kenyan court ruled that it would be unconstitutional to deploy officers abroad unless there was a “reciprocal arrangement” in place with the host government.
Ruto mentioned that Haiti had sought assistance several months earlier, and he anticipated that a formal request fulfilling the court’s requirements would be made soon.
“So that mission can go ahead as soon as next week if all the paperwork is done between Kenya and Haiti on the bilateral route that has been suggested by the court,” Ruto said following an Italian-Africa summit in Rome.
Asked if discussions were underway with Haiti to get the necessary request, Ruto said: “Absolutely. Haiti has actually written formally, not today, several months ago.”
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In 2022, when Haiti experienced a surge in gang violence, the country initially sought assistance. However, finding someone willing to take responsibility proved challenging, as numerous foreign governments were hesitant to support the unelected administration of the impoverished nation.
In July of last year, Kenya, known for its extensive involvement in global peacekeeping missions, volunteered 1,000 police officers, expressing solidarity with a fellow nation.
The Bahamas, Antigua and Barbuda, and Jamaica later expressed their readiness to assist, and the United States committed $200 million to initiate the deployment.
“The mission is on course. The mission is a bigger calling to humanity,” Ruto said, stressing that it was a police rather than a military operation.
Last week, the United Nations reported a recorded total of 4,789 fatalities due to gang-related violence in Haiti in the past year, marking a 119% surge from the figures in 2022. Additionally, the report highlighted that an additional 3,000 individuals had been subjected to kidnappings.
Ruto Says Haiti Mission To Go Ahead Despite Court Ruling
