US pledges additional Sh5.7bn aid to Haiti even as it vouches for its transformation into UN mission

The United States has announced an additional $45 million (Sh5.7 billion) in humanitarian aid to Haiti and pledged more support for the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) whose initial term ends this month.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the amount "means more food, water or sanitation or health and support services for one and a half million more Haitians in the long term.

The country is grappling with nearly 600,000 internally displaced persons courtesy of gang violence that has left more than 5 million in humanitarian need.

The UN Security Council is expected to decide whether to renew the Kenyan-led mission by way of a vote on September 30. The mission was authorised in October last year to run for an initial period of 12 months.

Speaking during his visit to Port au Prince where he met with members of the transitional council and the leadership of the mission, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said while there was a need for the mission to be renewed, the State Department was considering the transformation of the mission to a UN mission to ensure its sustainability.

"The mission itself needs to be renewed, and that's what we're working on right now. But we also want to make sure that we have something reliable, that's sustainable, and we'll look at every option to do that. So a peacekeeping operation would be one such option. I think there are others. We just want to make sure that we have a way to move forward – first renewing the mission, and then making sure we have a way to make it sustainable for the future because this is going to take some time," Blinken said in a press briefing in Haiti.

He, however, noted that the point is not to have an indefinite international mission but to help Haiti stand strongly on its own two feet.

"But to get to that point we need some time, so we'll look at the best way to make sure we can sustain this effort," he said.

If the security council renews the mandate of the MSS at the end of the month, countries like Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas might be joining the Mission as mentioned by its Force Commander Godfrey Otunge who said he had received confirmations of the three countries' intent to deploy.

The MSS Mission began its joint operations with the local police in June when Kenya deployed its first batch of 200 officers who were joined by 200 others in the month that followed.

"I'm very clear-eyed about this. This is hard stuff. But we've already seen, thanks to the work of the MSS and with the support of the Haitian National Police, the airport taken back and reopened, the main hospital in Port-au-Prince taken back, some neighbourhoods where there's now economic activity again," Blinken noted.

The United States remains the largest funder of the mission having provided more than $300 million to support the security mission.

As to whether the mission would attract more support after the renewal of its mandate, the official said continued success on the ground will inform what happens next.

"And what I heard today, talking to the leaders of the Haitian National Police and the MSS, is a clear plan for what they'll do next, and I think that's going to build on itself. That, in turn, will attract more support. And I hope that by the time, for example, we get to the UN in about two and a half weeks, there'll be a record of initial success as well as, again, this plan for going forward, and that will bring in more support," he said.

The mission was first mandated with regaining control from the gangs and enabling Haitian institutions, particularly the Haitian National Police, to take this on for themselves.

On the corruption allegations dogging the transitional government, Blinken issued a warning, reminding Haitians of the US's recent economic sanctions against former Haitian President Michel Martelly.

"We will use every tool that we have to hold accountable those who facilitate violence, drug trafficking, and instability."

More assistance is also en route, the secretary said, noting that Jamaica is sending personnel and El Salvador is providing a helicopter medevac team to assist.