Kenyan President William Ruto expressed his gratitude to his Dominican counterpart, Luis Abinader, for the Dominican Republic’s willingness to provide assistance to an upcoming international military mission that Kenya will lead in Haiti to ensure security in the troubled nation.
In a statement posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Ruto conveyed his appreciation, saying, “Kenya thanks the Dominican Republic for having agreed to offer assistance to the proposed UN security mission in Haiti that Kenya will lead.” This announcement followed a meeting between the two leaders in New York during the United Nations General Assembly.
Ruto emphasized their determination to collaborate in efforts to restore peace and stability in Haiti.
Additionally, the two leaders signed a “cooperation agreement” aimed at strengthening bilateral relations, facilitating the exchange of specialists, researchers, professors, scholarship recipients, and institutional strengthening programs between their respective countries.
Haiti is currently mired in a severe crisis, marked by the presence of armed groups controlling Port-au-Prince and other regions of the country, leading to numerous murders, kidnappings, and other criminal activities.
Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry has consistently called for an international force to help bring peace to his nation. This call has garnered support from global figures, including UN Secretary-General António Guterres and the Dominican president, who has expressed concerns about the ramifications of the Haitian crisis on the neighboring Dominican Republic.
Kenya has agreed to lead the prospective international peacekeeping force, which will involve the deployment of 1,000 police officers.