Kenya set to increase its Haiti police contingent to 1000 officers

Kenya has pledged to send 600 additional police officers to Haiti in the coming weeks to assist in combating gangs that control much of the capital, Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas.

This deployment would increase the Kenyan contingent, which had been gradually sent since June, to 1,000 officers, according to reports from the BBC.

During a visit to Haiti, President William Ruto expressed support for transforming the current Kenya-led security mission into a full United Nations peacekeeping operation.

Several other nations have collectively pledged at least 1,900 additional troops to support this effort.

Haiti continued to experience rampant violence, with a UN human rights expert warning that gangs are expanding their influence, leading to further displacement of residents.

The UN Security Council is expected to meet by the end of the month to decide on the renewal of Kenya’s mandate for another 12 months, potentially paving the way for a full UN mission in 2025.

This would facilitate increased funding and resources for the operation, which had struggled due to equipment shortages.

Addressing Kenyan police officers at their base in Port-au-Prince, President Ruto praised their recent successes.

“Many thought Haiti was a mission impossible, but today they have changed their minds because of the progress you have made,” he stated.

Ruto assured the officers of support in securing better equipment as they continue to patrol alongside Haitian forces to restore security.

“Our next batch, an additional 600, is undergoing redeployment training and will be mission-ready in a few weeks,” he added.

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