Kenya sends another 168 police officers to join mission fighting gangs in Haiti
Kenya leads the mission, which also includes police personnel from countries such as Guatemala, Jamaica, El Salvador, the Bahamas, and Belize.
Kenya has sent 168 more police officers to Haiti, bringing the total number of Kenyan officers deployed under the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) to 800.
The new team, mostly from the General Service Unit, left Jomo Kenyatta International Airport at 1 am on February 6, 2025 aboard a Kenya Airways flight and is expected to arrive in Port-au-Prince later on Thursday evening.
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This addition is part of a broader international effort to combat the rising wave of violent gang activity plaguing Haiti.
The officers are eager to start their mission after months of training and anticipation.
Top government officials saw the team off at the airport, signalling Kenya's continued commitment to supporting Haiti's security.
Despite the announcement that the United States has frozen over US$13 million (Sh1.7 billion) in funding for the mission as part of a 90-day review of foreign aid, Kenya's Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, Korir Sing'Oei, assured that the mission will continue to operate unaffected.
He stated that the UN Trust Fund for Haiti still has enough resources to sustain the mission until September 2025.
Sing'Oei said that transitioning the mission to a full UN operation to ensure long-term financial sustainability remains a priority for Kenya and its partners.
The MSS mission, launched in October 2023 under UN Security Council Resolution 2699, aims to improve security in Haiti amidst growing gang violence.
Kenya leads the mission, which also includes police personnel from countries such as Guatemala, Jamaica, El Salvador, the Bahamas, and Belize.
By the end of 2024, the trust fund had raised over $110 million (Sh14.2 billion) from various countries, including the USA, Canada, France, Turkey, Spain, Italy, and Algeria.
on Wednesday MSS Force Commander Godfrey Otunge said that despite the temporary freeze in US funding, the mission is proceeding smoothly.
"The MSS mission in Haiti remains a priority for the US government. While there are structural adjustments expected, the mission continues without interruption, with all necessary mechanisms in place," Otunge said.
"The mission remains fully committed to restoring peace in Haiti," he added.
Otunge also acknowledged the arrival of an El Salvador contingent and the anticipated delivery of medical evacuation helicopters by the end of the week.
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