Haitian police commanders met with Kenya’s inspector general of police on Tuesday, ahead of a planned deployment of a UN-backed multinational peacekeeping mission to Haiti. The mission, led by Kenya, aims to combat gang violence that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced over 360,000 people in the Caribbean nation.
During the meeting in Nairobi, Haitian Police official Joachim Prohete expressed the need for support, while Inspector Japhet Koome affirmed Kenya’s readiness and commitment to assist whenever needed. The Haitian police also met with commanders of the 1,000 Kenyan officers who will be part of the peacekeeping mission.
Kenya will host Haitian police for training, and the delegation visited the barracks where drills will take place. President William Ruto recently reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to restoring peace in Haiti, and U.S. President Joe Biden expressed deep appreciation for Kenya’s planned deployment during Ruto’s state visit in May.
The deployment, originally scheduled for May, was postponed to allow for the completion of bases where officers will operate and the procurement of essential equipment, including vehicles.
Haiti has long faced challenges such as poverty, political instability, and natural disasters. International intervention in the country has a complex history, with a previous UN-approved stabilization mission from 2004 to 2017 marred by a sexual abuse scandal and the introduction of cholera, which claimed nearly 10,000 lives.