UN Makes Final Decision on Kenya Sending Police to Haiti

The United Nations Security Council has given its nod to a multinational intervention, led by Kenyan law enforcement, aimed at restoring stability in Haiti, a nation grappling with gang-related unrest.

In a session held on Monday, 13 out of the 15 council member countries voted in favor of this mission, with no recorded objections.

It’s important to note that the Security Council consists of 15 nations, including the United States, United Kingdom, China, France, and Russia, all of which possess veto powers. However, both Russia and China chose to abstain from the vote.

Their decision was driven by concerns regarding the broad use of force, as outlined in Chapter 7 of the founding U.N. Charter, to address the crisis in Haiti.

“More than just a simple vote, this is, in fact, an expression of solidarity with a population in distress. It’s a glimmer of hope for the people that have for too long been suffering,” Haiti’s Foreign Minister Jean Victor Geneus told the council in appreciation of the decision reached. 

Approval for the mission means that Kenya will, by January 2024, lead the multinational force with 1,000 police officers.

UN Security Council will also announce a framework for the mission, with a review expected to be conducted every nine months. This was after local Haitian and international stakeholders demanded accountability and clarity on how Kenya will overcome language, cultural and geographical barriers while leading the controversial mission. 

Haiti first requested an intervention in October 2022, but the U.N. and US turned a blind eye to sending troops while Canada refused to intervene. Canada argued that its armed forces were already stretched thin by support for Ukraine and NATO in the Russian invasion of Ukraine and lacked the capacity to lead the Haitian mission.  

US and Mexico instead proposed hitting Haitian gang leaders with sanctions and advocated for a limited, carefully scoped, non-U.N. mission led by a partner country with the deep, necessary experience. 

Canada and the US also offered armoured vehicles and other artillery to help Haitian police quell the powerful gangs that reportedly control most of the country. 

The mission in Haiti is set to help combat gangs terrorizing the country, which has overpowered the Haitian police.

Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Antigua and Barbuda offered to support the mission, while the US only pledged logistical support.

Notably, the mission will not be under the United Nations’ Control despite being subject to council voting to make the mission legal under internal law.

In September, Kenya and the United States and Kenya signed a Ksh 14.8 billion defence deal agreement as part of US support for Kenya’s Security mission.

In recent years Haiti has been subject to growing gang dominance through rape, kidnappings, and robberies being their mode of operation.

A UN report from the secretary-general’s office indicated  2,800 murders between October 2022 and June 2023, including 80 killings of minors.