President William Ruto has expressed his approval of the United Nations Security Council’s decision to endorse a security mission led by Kenya to address the prolonged gang violence in Haiti, particularly in the capital city of Port-au-Prince.
The Security Council, consisting of 15 members, adopted a resolution on Monday that authorizes the Kenya-led ‘Multinational Security Support mission’ to assist Haitian police in their efforts to combat the rampant gang activities.
The resolution, jointly drafted by the United States and Ecuador, received approval with 13 votes in favor, while China and Russia chose to abstain from the vote.
President Ruto welcomed this decision as a long-overdue and critical step in defining the multinational mission, emphasizing its moral obligation for the international community.
Also Read: UN Votes to Deploy Kenyan Police to Haiti to Combat Gangs
He asserted that the dire situation in Haiti necessitates increased efforts in emergency relief, humanitarian aid, support for livelihoods, and substantial interventions in public health and environmental protection.
Kenya has pledged to deploy 1,000 troops to Haiti, while the Bahamas has committed 150 personnel, and Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda have offered their assistance as well. The mission’s mandate extends to securing Haiti’s vital infrastructure, including airports, seaports, and key transit routes.
“The situation in Haiti demands, as a matter of humanitarian consideration, moral responsibility and fundamental justice, that actions be scaled up significantly to meet the demands of emergency relief, humanitarian aid, support for livelihoods and major interventions in public health and environmental protection,” he said.
President Ruto highlighted the exceptional significance of this mission in the context of international interventions in Haiti, emphasizing Kenya’s commitment to the unity of the African continent and the African Union’s solidarity policy with the African Diaspora, which shares a common history of colonialism.
“For us in Kenya, this mission is of special significance and critical urgency. We experienced the harrowing brunt of colonialism, as well as the long, difficult and frustrating struggle for freedom against those that can influence international institutions to frustrate justice,” said Ruto.
He underscored the importance of international support and resources for the UN team and other humanitarian and development actors on the ground in Haiti, emphasizing the urgency of addressing environmental degradation in the country and the need for collective action.
President Ruto expressed his determination that this mission would provide a unique approach to international interventions in Haiti, aimed at establishing conditions conducive to the nation’s stability, development, and democratic governance, driven by the people of Haiti.
Kenya’s president highlighted the country’s extensive experience in international peace mediation, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding and emphasized that turning away from Haiti in the face of human suffering is not an option.
Haiti has experienced widespread gang control over its territories, exacerbated by intersecting crises in public health, politics, and economics. The country has been in turmoil since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021.
United Nations data reveals that over 2,400 individuals have lost their lives to violence in Haiti since the beginning of the year, prompting calls for international intervention.
The United States, among other nations, has offered its logistical assistance, with up to a dozen countries expressing their support for intervention.
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