Cabinet okays establishment of Kenyan consulate in Haiti
The diplomatic post will be manned by former Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police, Noor Gabow, whose nomination was approved by Kenya's National Assembly in January.
Kenya has approved the establishment of a Consulate General in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in a move that seeks to give diplomatic backing to Nairobi's security mission in the volatile Caribbean state.
The Cabinet decision, announced Tuesday, formalises Kenya's deepening role in the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, a UN-authorised but externally led effort to stabilise Haiti.
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The diplomatic post will be manned by former Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police, Noor Gabow, whose nomination was approved by Kenya's National Assembly in January.
Noor is expected to serve as the inaugural Consul General, operating in a capital city gripped by gang control and from which most foreign embassies have already pulled their diplomats.
The move comes amid growing scrutiny of the Kenyan-led deployment, first authorised in June 2024 after overcoming significant legal and logistical hurdles, including a court battle in Nairobi over the constitutionality of sending police officers abroad.
Two Kenyan police officers have already lost their lives in the operation, while others have reportedly gone unpaid, raising questions about operational readiness and morale. Despite pledges of international support, particularly from the United States, the mission has been slow to deploy reinforcements and adequately fund logistics, leaving Nairobi to absorb much of the pressure.
The United States, which has contributed funds and diplomatic cover but not troops, is reportedly growing weary of bearing the financial burden.
The first batch of 400 Kenyan police officers deployed to the Caribbean is expected to return home in June after serving for a year under the MSS mission.
The larger coalition of the gangs in Haiti is under the command of Jimmy Cherizier, known by the alias Barbecue. The Viv Ansanm coalition was established shortly before Kenyan forces arrived in Haiti, creating a complex and volatile environment for the mission.
While progress has been made, challenges remain. Jack Ombaka, the MSS mission spokesperson, recently noted that they have not yet met their personnel deployment targets and are still grappling with shortages in both equipment and manpower.
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