NAIROBI — Kenyan President William Ruto announced on Sunday that Kenyan police will soon be deployed to Haiti to address escalating gang violence, despite encountering legal obstacles that have postponed the mission.
Kenya is taking the lead in a United Nations-backed initiative aimed at stabilizing Haiti, which has been plagued by violence, poverty, and political turmoil.
The deployment is part of a larger effort that will see Kenya sending 1,000 officers to Haiti, working alongside personnel from several other nations.
During a visit to central Kenya on Sunday, President Ruto stated, “The people of Haiti are maybe waiting, by the grace of God, that probably by next week or the other week, we shall send our police officers to restore peace.”
Although a UN Security Council resolution approved the mission in October of last year, its implementation was delayed following a ruling by a Kenyan court in January.
The court deemed that the government lacked the authority to send police officers abroad without a prior agreement in place.
However, the government secured the necessary agreement on March 1.
President Ruto told the BBC last month that he anticipates the deployment of a Kenyan force to Haiti within weeks.
The forthcoming deployment highlights Kenya’s commitment to international peacekeeping efforts and its willingness to address global security challenges.
This comes as Haiti continues to grapple with internal unrest, with the arrival of Kenyan police are expected to provide much-needed support in restoring peace and stability to the troubled nation.
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