US issues travel advisory for Haiti amid rising gang violence » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 21 – The United States of America has issued a travel advisory, warning its citizens against traveling to Haiti due to the escalating violence from armed gangs.
The advisory highlights the worsening situation in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where gang warfare has intensified in recent weeks, severely disrupting daily life.
The US consulate in Haiti urged citizens to avoid the country, citing widespread armed violence, barricades in neighborhoods, and the suspension of airport operations, which have been extended until November 25.
The embassy emphasized that the security situation is unpredictable, with violence erupting near key infrastructure, including the Port-au-Prince airport and the upscale neighborhood of Petionville.
According to the embassy, all consular appointments, including visa and American Citizen Services, have been canceled, and U.S. citizens requiring emergency services were advised to email the embassy with their details.
Travel within the country, especially to the airport, has been deemed unsafe, with commercial airlines unable to guarantee assistance at the airport.
This comes on the back of Russia and China vetoing a proposal for a U.S.-led effort to transition the Kenya-led multinational force in Haiti into a United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission.
The two countries called for a special UN Security Council meeting to voice their concerns, dealing a blow to Kenya’s hopes of securing a more stable and well-funded mission under the UN’s framework.
The multinational force, which has been assisting Haiti in battling a surge of gang violence, is facing mounting challenges, including a critical funding shortfall and insufficient troop deployment.
The United States proposed transitioning the multinational force to a UN peacekeeping mission in early September to address these financial issues to secure regular funding through UN mechanisms and provide more sustainable logistical and personnel support.
However, Russia and China raised objections, citing concerns about the conditions on the ground in Haiti, which they argue are not suitable for a peacekeeping operation
“Deploying a peacekeeping operation at this time is nothing more than putting peacekeepers into the front line of the battles with gangs,” said China’s Deputy UN Ambassador Geng Shuang emphasized that peacekeepers should only be deployed when peace is already established, a situation not yet present in Haiti, where gang violence has led to widespread instability.
Russia’s Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyansky echoed similar sentiments, expressing “shock and horror” over the violence in Port-au-Prince, but criticized the international community for failing to adequately fund the existing mission.
The fate of the Kenyan-led mission hangs in the balance of cash crunch in the face of objections by China and Russia, both of whom are members of the powerful UN Security Council.
Last month, Kenya appealed for urgent financial support from the international community to sustain a police deployment in Haiti, which has been extended by a year.
More than 3,600 people have been killed in the country since January, including over 100 children, while more than 500,000 Haitians have been forced from their homes, the UN said.
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