Ruto receives Haiti pre-deployment brief, says confident police will deliver » Capital News
NAIROBI, Kenya, May 31 — President William Ruto has expressed confidence that Kenya’s police units participating in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti will fulfill their mandate.
Kenya has offered to lead the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) mandated mission to support the understaffed and under-resourced security agencies in the Caribbean nation, which have been battling gangs that have seized control of much of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince.
Ruto made this announcement on Friday after receiving a briefing from the team that conducted an assessment mission to evaluate the state of preparedness for the deployment of Kenyan police units.
“I am confident of the fulfilment of the mandate of UNSC Resolution 2699 (2023),” he said.
The 1,000-strong police units, drawn from the paramilitary General Service Unit Recce Squad and the Administration Police Rapid Deployment Force and Special Operations Group, will arrive in Haiti in June.
Ruto’s comments came days after he welcomed Garry Conille’s appointment as Prime Minister by Haiti’s Presidential Council constituted in April following the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
President Ruto welcomed Tuesday’s announcement with a commitment to support the Caribbean nation to emerge from its current crisis.
“Kenya expresses its strong solidarity with Haiti, as we look forward to working with you and your government to restore Haiti to a path of sustainable development,” Ruto stated in a congratulatory note on Wednesday.
New PM
Haiti’s Presidential Council named Conille the Prime Minister on Tuesday, May 28.
Reacting to his appointment, Conille promised to rally efforts for Haiti’s recovery.
“Together, we will work for a better tomorrow for all the children of our nation,” he remarked acknowledging civil society organizations, political parties, and members of the diaspora who proposed his appointment.
The development came barely a week after Ruto concluded a State Visit to the United States where Kenya secured key commitments on security and infrastructure.
While winding up his 4-day visit, Ruto told Voice of America that Kenya “will show up in Haiti”, adding the move was constitutionally sound amid concerns at home.
Ruto, who arrived back in the country on Sunday, further defended the decision saying it aligns with Kenya’s tradition to support peacekeeping missions and that “Haiti is not going to be an exception”.
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