Kenya Gets Greenlight to Take on Gangs in Haiti

In response to a plea from Haiti's prime minister for assistance in restoring order, the UN has endorsed Kenya's proposal to lead a multinational security force in the country.

Haiti is no stranger to gang violence, but things took a turn for the worse following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021. Gangs currently have a firm grip on significant parts of the country, rendering the populace exceptionally frightened and resulting in several hundred deaths. To reestablish order and disarm the gangs, UN Secretary-General António Guterres underlines the urgency for a more forceful tactic. The United Nations (UN) Security Council, similarly, has passed a resolution allowing the mission to last one year with a review scheduled after nine months.

The adoption of the resolution calls for the establishment of a fresh force that will partner with Haitian law enforcement and hold combined security measures as well as possess the authority to make arrests. Moreover, the focus will be on creating an environment that enables the conduct of fresh elections in Haiti since 2016. Haiti's Foreign Minister, Jean-Victor Geneus describes this decision as a glimmer of hope for its people whose miserable plight has persisted for far too long.

Kenya's new objective is to establish peace and security by deploying an intervention force to neutralize armed gangs and protect civilians. It also hopes to assist in the reconstruction of Haiti's essential infrastructure and in establishing a stable government. The Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda have confirmed their participation in the mission, and CS Mutua states that security personnel from Spain, Senegal, and Chile may join as well. He anticipates that the force will be operational by the beginning of next year.

At present, Haiti finds itself embroiled in a turbulent security and humanitarian situation, one that the UN Secretary-General Guterres refers to as a "living nightmare." Large portions of the coastal capital, Port-au-Prince, nestled amidst the mountains, are either under the control of heavily armed gangs or regularly subjected to their terror. These gangs, known by names like "Kraze Barye" (Barrier-Crusher) and "Gran Grif" (Big Claw) in Haitian Creole, have engaged in a range of criminal activities such as robbery, looting, extortion, kidnapping, rape, and murder over the past two years. Equipped with smuggled automatic weapons, primarily from the US, these gang members often outmatch the local police force, sometimes resorting to burning their vehicles and stations.

Speculation circulates among analysts that Kenya is fulfilling the demands of the US in a bid to gain favour with the global superpower. To further aid the mission, the US has pledged $100 million (£82 million) in financial support with Canada also offering funding.