NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 26 — United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III has lauded Kenya’s willingness to lead a multinational security support mission in Haiti, pledging financial support in aid of a security mission to combat criminal gangs wreaking havoc in the Caribbean nation.
Haiti has been grappling with a surge in violence since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 at his private residence in the capital, Port-au-Prince.
Speaking Monday during his trip to Kenya, Austin announced that the US was prepared to support the Haiti mission by providing “substantial financial and logistical assistance.”
“We intend to work with United States Congress to provide up to 100 million dollars in support,” Austin said during A ceremony that saw Kenya and the US sign a five-year framework for Defence Cooperation.
The agreement solidifies their commitment to enhance bilateral relations and bolster defense capabilities.
Secretary Austin called upon the international community to follow Kenya’s lead by contributing more personnel, and offering support, training, and funding.
He reiterated the United States’ commitment to partnering with Kenya in efforts to bring stability and security to the region and beyond.
Kenya’s Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale affirmed Kenya’s readiness to be part of the multi-national peace keeping force to restore peace in the violence-hit state.
1,000-strong force
Duale said that Kenya is equal to the task given that her troops have taken part in similar peacekeeping missions in different countries across the globe.
“Kenya has a very long history of global peacekeeping. We were in Kosovo, Namibia. We are in Somalia and in DRC and we also have our officers in the Tigray monitoring and evaluation mechanism.” Duale said.
“When all the processes beginning with the approval by the United Nations security Council are put in place, Kenya is willing and ready to lead that multi-national security force that will go to Haiti.”
Kenya’s willingness to deploy a 1,000-strong force in under a UN-backed security support mission to the Caribbean State has earned President William Ruto praise from the US President Joe Biden.
Speaking during the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, Biden described President Ruto’s leadership in the matter as outstanding and urged the United Nations Security Council to authorize the mission.
“The Caribbean community is facilitating dialogue within Haitian society. I thank President Ruto of Kenya for his willingness to serve as the lead nation of a UN-backed security support mission,” he said.
In July this year, Foreign and Diaspora Affairs CS Alfred Mutua announced in a statement that Kenya was considering leading a multinational police force to help fight Haiti’s criminal gangs
“Kenya’s commitment is to deploy a contingent of 1,000 police officers to train and assist the Haitian police to restore normalcy in the country and protect strategic installations,” he said.
