NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 10 — President William Ruto says Kenya is awaiting further direction on the future of its police officers deployed in Haiti following the United Nations’ decision to transition the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission into a more robust Gang Suppression Force (GSF).
Speaking during an interview with Al Jazeera in Doha, Qatar, Ruto said he had met with Laurent Saint-Cyr, President of Haiti’s Presidential Transitional Council, and had also spoken to the Kenyan commander on the ground, who he described as “very upbeat” about the situation in the Caribbean nation.
“I had a meeting with the president of Haiti, who was present here in Qatar, and we discussed an array of issues. I spoke to the commander in Haiti, and he’s very upbeat. We are, however, waiting to see the next steps,” Ruto said.
Kenya has deployed 735 police officers as part of the nearly 1,000-strong mission that has supported the Haitian National Police since the start of the deployment.
The Head of State dismissed claims that the Kenyan-led mission had achieved little, insisting there had been “demonstrable progress” since its deployment began in mid-2024.
“To say nothing has changed is not correct,” he said.
“If you speak to the Haitian people or the government, they will tell you many significant things have happened. Today, their port city is functioning — it was not working before. Many schools have reopened, the presidential palace [is] operational again, and the police academy, which had [been] taken over by gangs, [is] now training officers.”
Tangible impact
He said these gains demonstrated that the MSS had made a tangible impact despite operating under difficult conditions and with limited international support.
“Have we done everything we should? No,” he admitted.
“We didn’t have everything we needed, and we didn’t get the kind of support we thought we would get — or that we were promised.”
Ruto revealed that he had formally raised the matter with the United Nations, urging member states to step up support for Haiti’s stabilization efforts.
“I raised this matter at the UN. I wrote to the Chairperson and made it clear that unless we demonstrate international solidarity, provide the resources, the equipment, the vehicles, and ensure enough boots on the ground, we won’t solve this problem,” he said.
Gang Suppression Force
On October 1, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) voted to transition the Kenya-led MSS mission in Haiti to the GSF, effectively ending Nairobi’s leadership role in the Caribbean nation.
The Council approved the creation of the new force under Resolution 2793, with 12 members voting in favor and three abstaining — Russia, China, and Pakistan. None opposed the resolution passed in a session chaired by South Korea.
The Council authorized the GSF for 12 months supported by a newly created UN Support Office and the Organization of American States (OAS). It took over from the MSS, whose mandate expired on October 2.
“This adoption offers Haiti hope,” said Mike Waltz, the United States ambassador to the UN.
“That hope has been slipping away as gangs expanded their territory, raped, pillaged, murdered, and terrorized the Haitian population. The very existence of the Haitian state is at stake.”
