Kenya’s foreign minister has announced his country is ready to lead a multinational force to help restore order in Haiti.
The Caribbean nation has been overwhelmed by gang violence:
- Gangs now control 80% of the capital Port-au-Prince, with the remaining 20% widely seen as disputed territory, and
- Communities have formed vigilante groups in response, killing more than 160 gang members according to one estimate.
This is all compounded by food scarcity, inequality, and political instability.
Stay on top of your world from inside your inbox.
Subscribe for free today and receive way much more insights.
Trusted by 161,000+ subscribers
No spam. No noise. Unsubscribe any time.
Intrigue’s take: So why hasn’t the world sent a deployment already?
Well… it has (multiple times). And that’s part of the problem. The last mission (led by the UN) withdrew in 2019 after it was linked to a devastating cholera outbreak and sexual violence. And there are claims these interventions have also helped corrupt local leaders cling to power.
As a result, many of Haiti’s 12 million people oppose the idea of a new intervention, preferring longer-term and Haitian-led solutions. It’s just hard to see these solutions taking shape without some basic security in place first.
Also worth noting:
- Haiti’s last 10 remaining senators finished their terms in January, leaving the country without any elected officials after successive failed efforts to hold elections.
- Haiti’s interim government plus the US, the UN, the Organization of American States, the Bahamas, and others have welcomed Kenya’s proposal.
- The US and Ecuador now plan to introduce a UN Security Council resolution authorising the proposed mission.