Kenyan Police to Arrive Haiti This Week to Fight Gang Violence, U.S. Says 

The first group of Kenyan police officers set to combat gang violence in Haiti will leave Kenya on Tuesday and are expected to arrive this week, the U.S. State Department announced on Monday.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said, “We hope to see further measurable improvements in security, particularly with respect to access to humanitarian aid and core economic activity.”

In July 2023, Kenya volunteered to lead an international force to address violence in Haiti, where gangs control much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and have committed widespread killings, kidnappings, and sexual violence. The deployment has been delayed by court challenges and deteriorating security in Haiti, which led to the resignation of the acting prime minister in March.

On Monday, Kenyan President William Ruto held a departure ceremony for 400 officers, the first contingent to be deployed to Haiti.

“This mission is one of the most urgent, important and historic in the history of global solidarity,” Ruto said. “It is a mission to affirm the universal values of the community of nations, a mission to take a stand for humanity.”

Another 600 officers will join the mission later, according to Reuters sources.

Apart from Kenya, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Barbados, Chad, and Bangladesh have committed personnel to the 2,500-strong mission, which is mainly funded by the United States.

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