US Pledges Ksh14 Billion to Back Kenya Police Mission in Haiti
The administration of President Joe Biden has proposed to contribute Ksh14.5 billion (USD 100 million) to the Kenyan police-led peacekeeping mission in Haiti.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken indicated during his Friday announcement that the Biden administration is committed to assuring the success of the police mission.
The support will include logistics, intelligence, communication, and medical support, according to Blinken.
“The people of Haiti cannot wait much longer. Improved security must be accompanied by real progress to resolve the political crisis. The support mission will not be a substitute for political progress,” he stated.
The Biden administration made the announcement hours after Blinken met with Foreign Affairs CS Alfred Mutua and other United Nations (UN) officials on the margins of the UN General Assembly (UNGA).
Blinken indicated that the purpose of the meeting was to garner more support for the Kenya-led mission, which has yet to receive approval from the United Nations Security Council.
According to reports, the closed-door meeting focused on the officers’ logistical needs and the preliminary report of the Kenyan police team that visited Haiti in August.
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“We convened partners at the UNGA to support the Multinational Security Support mission to Haiti, which will help Haitian people in restoring security and stability,” Blinken added.
According to the proposal, Kenya will dispatch 1,000 police officers to a country where gangs have compromised the stability.
In addition to Kenya, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Barbuda, and Antigua Islands have proposed to contribute officers to the mission.
During the mission, NPS officers will train Haitian police and assist them in restoring the country’s calm.
Other nations have yet to join the mission, which we will initiate immediately after approval by the UN Security Council.
Notably, these developments from the United States occurred days after Vice President Joe Biden commended President William Ruto for proposing to deploy officers to Haiti and urged the Security Council to expedite the process.
US Pledges Ksh14 Billion to Back Kenya Police Mission in Haiti