Trump Issues Directive to Ruto Over Haiti Mission

The Prime Cabinet Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, held a high-level bilateral talk with Senator Marco Rubio, U.S Secretary of State, where the strategic interests between the two nations were discussed.

In a press release on Thursday 8, the US assured its support for the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti, acknowledging Kenya’s principled leadership in strengthening international peace and stability.

This comes months after Trump’s Administration froze the foreign aid funding that affected the Haiti Mission. More than $13 million(sh17.71 billion) in US funding for an international security force helping fight armed gangs in Haiti was paused.

On April 21, while addressing the United Nations, the US Ambassador Dorothy Shea said America cannot continue to shoulder such a significant financial burden. Shea called on other helpful nations to come up and increase their support for the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to tame the rapidly escalating gang violence.

Also Read: Details of Ruto Calls with Trump, Top Diplomat and Macron

Mudavadi meets Secretary Rubio after the US affirmed support for peace in Haiti

However, the ambassador assured the council that the US government was determined to help Haiti restore peace, but only if other countries contributed their equal share.

“While we remain determined to assist the Haitian people to achieve the peace, security, and prosperity they need, and while we acknowledge with thanks those countries that have contributed to the MSS financially and in kind, America cannot continue to shoulder such a significant financial burden,” Shea said

During the conference, the US government also issued a stern warning to those working with the Caribbean gangs to traffic weapons and ammunition to destabilise the country.
To combat the surging gang violence, the American ambassador proposed the imposition of UN asset freezes and travel bans on gang leaders and their facilitators.

“Supporting anti-corruption efforts and promoting accountability for those responsible for abuses is imperative to facilitating a swift end to violence,” the US government said.

Also Read: Angry Kenyan Police Raid Gang Leader Berbecue’s Hideout in Haiti

Kenya’s Haiti Mission
President Ruto sent the first cohort of 400 Kenyan Police Officers on Monday, June 24, 2024.

The ceremony took place at the Administration Police Training College in Embakasi, Nairobi, where President Ruto handed over the Kenyan National Flag to the officers, making their deployment under the United Nations-based Multinational Security Support (MSS)Mission.

The officers departed for Haiti on 25,2024, to assist in combating gang violence and the restoration of peace and stability.

A second batch of Kenyan police to Haiti landed in Port-au-Prince in style to help fight gangs that had almost overrun the Caribbean nation.

The team of 200 well-trained landed aboard a UN chartered flight and was received by Director General of the Haitian National Police Normil Rameau and Multinational Security Support Mission commander Godfrey Otunge on July 16.

The third contingent of 217 Kenyan police officers to the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS)  left Kenya on January 18, 2025, safely at Port-au-Prince Airport in Haiti, where they were received by the Haitian authorities.

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