Kenya is seeking an extension of the Multinational Security Support Mission’ in Haiti and extra funding.
President William Ruto on Monday called on the United Nations Security Council to renew the Multinational Security Support Mission’s mandate and adopt innovative approaches to resource it.
“The international community must also intensify its support to the Mission, which has yielded significant positive outcomes — reviving economic activity and hope in Haiti,” President Ruto said during the Leader-Level Meeting of the Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti at the United Nations Headquarters, New York.
President Ruto also met with his counterpart from Dominican Republic Luis Abinader and said he welcomed the commitment by the Dominican Republic to support the Multinational Security Support Mission.
“The medical evacuation and supplies — and additional troops — will boost the operation and advance peace and stability in Haiti,” Ruto said after the meeting.
Ruto also held talks with Prime Minister of Jamaica Andrew Holness and “agreed to rally the international community to avail adequate resources for the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti”.
US CALL FOR EXTENSION
This comes after the Biden administration early in September said it was exploring the possibility of transitioning the Kenya-led multinational mission to a traditional United Nations peacekeeping operation.
The State Department, which in the face of funding and equipment shortfalls was reported to be mulling over the possibility of transforming the mission and that it had notified U.S. lawmakers of its intentions, according to the Miami Herald.
An official with the White House National Security Council confirmed to the Herald that plans are under consideration to alter the nature of the force.
“In coordination with partners, the United States is exploring options to bolster the Multinational Security Support mission and ensure the support that the MSS is providing Haitians is sustained long-term and ultimately paves the way to security conditions permitting free and fair elections,” the national security official said.
Late August, US Ambassador to Kenya Meg Whitman hinted at a possible extension of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission or a transition into a UN peacekeeping operation.
With the delay to deploy, which was caused by court cases in Kenya and preparation challenges, Ambassador Whitman said there would be a review in October to decide the next steps given the one-year period will be lapsing.
“The UN resolution to allow Kenyans to go to Haiti was in October last year, and there was a year-long period that we would see what would happen but Kenyans didn’t get there until June. There will be a check point in October”.
“There could be a peacekeeping operation, there could be another a bit of time that Kenya is asked to maintain their presence there, we will see. It should have been a full year from when the Kenyans arrived but because of the delay, it is five months. Everyone will take stock, including the Kenyans about what the right thing to do is,” Whitman told Citizen TV.
