Summary:
- President Ruto of Kenya pledges to send a reconnaissance mission to Haiti once stability is restored, reaffirming Kenya’s commitment to support the country. This follows Haiti’s state of emergency due to a prison break. Kenya also plans to deploy 1,000 police officers, pending the establishment of a transitional government in Haiti.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 15 – President William Ruto has announced that Kenya will dispatch a reconnaissance mission to Haiti once a stable administration is established.
In a telephone conversation with outgoing Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who recently resigned, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the President stated, “Our plan is to deploy a reconnaissance mission as soon as a viable administration is in place, ensuring that our security personnel are adequately prepared and informed to respond effectively to the evolving situation.”
President Ruto reiterated Kenya’s steadfast commitment to supporting Haiti, stating, “I assured them that we will remain actively involved and we will not abandon Haiti in their time of need.”
Earlier this month, Haiti declared a state of emergency after armed gangs stormed a major Port-au-Prince prison, resulting in the deaths of at least 12 people and the release of around 4,000 inmates.
During Henry’s visit to Nairobi to discuss the deployment of a Kenyan-led multinational security force to Haiti, he signed a reciprocal agreement with President Ruto, who agreed to deploy 1,000 police officers to the troubled nation, which is largely under gang control.
Following the establishment of a transitional government in Haiti, PS Sing’oei affirmed Kenya’s commitment to proceeding with the deployment of the 1,000 police officers. He stated, “Without a political administration in Haiti, there is no anchor on which a police deployment can rest, hence the government will await the installation of a new constitutional authority in Haiti before making further decisions on the matter.”
This development occurs amidst ongoing criticism from some Kenyan citizens regarding the government’s decision to deploy forces to address notorious gangs in Haiti.