A 10-member delegation team from Kenya is currently on a visit to Haiti to assess the security crisis as well as their needs.
Kenyan delegation held a meeting with the Haitian Government, the High Council of the Transition, the High Staff of the National Police, and members of the Diplomatic Corps on Monday August 21.
In a joint statement the parties revealed that the objective of the meeting was to warmly welcome the Kenyan delegation during its first field visit to Haiti.
Moreover, the 10-member delegation from Kenya arrived in Haiti on Sunday, August 20 to thoroughly assess the situation there.
This comes following a request made by the Haitian executive in October 2022, and confirmed by Prime Minister Ariel Henry in June 2023, through correspondence addressed to the Secretary General of the United Nations.
Also Read: Prospect of Kenyan Troops in Haiti has Sparked Concerns
In this initiative, the Haitian government sought for capacity building for the National Police to guarantee the country’s internal security.
Purpose of the Haiti Field Visit
While expressing the purpose of their visit, the head of the Kenyan delegation, Ambassador Georges Orina, Director General of Bilateral and Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Diaspora of Kenya, stressed on offering support to the people of Haiti after understanding the prevailing situation.
Similarly, Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who reiterated the importance of the initiative, highlighted the need to strengthen the National Police to ensure security throughout the territory.
According to the prime minister, the move will allow free movement of people, goods, and also foster effective response to the challenges posed by new forms of crime.
In the statement, the team revealed that the Government and the international community have taken note of previous mistakes made to optimize and adopt a multinational force better suited to actively support the National Police of Haiti.
Furthermore, the initiative is aimed at supporting Haiti in the fight against emerging forms of crime, while maintaining close cooperation with the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH).
Also Read: Kenya to Send Contingent of Police Officers to Battle Gangs in Haiti- CS Mutua
After holding the preliminary discussions with countries and groups working on solutions for the Haitian security crisis, the Kenyan delegation reassured the Government of its commitment to respond to the country’s demands.
They also agreed to contribute to ending the instability that has hindered the progress of the country.
Kenya Offers to Send Police Officers to Haiti
In April this year, the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Alfred Mutua confirmed that the government was planning to send a contingent of police officers to Haiti to help fight a reign of terror waged on civilians by marauding gangs in the country.
CS Mutua stated that they discussed the Haiti situation with Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly over the phone on April 22.
“We reviewed Haiti’s situation where gangs have made towns & peoples’ lives unbearable. In this regard, Kenya has offered to send police officers to assist in stabilizing the country. Kenya is one of the nations at the forefront in supporting Haiti’s process towards stability,” CS Mutua said on April 22, 2023.
