President of Kenya: Haiti mission will need about 5 thousand men

Kenyan President William Ruto, in a speech before the European Union Parliament, emphasized the need for a substantial force to address the challenges posed by criminal gangs in Haiti. He estimated that the mission in Haiti would require about 5,000 men and women. President Ruto underscored the importance of the European Union’s support for this mission, highlighting that EU assistance would be crucial in providing necessary resources and legitimacy to the initiative.

In his address, Ruto also stressed the importance of partnerships with African nations as essential for driving growth and development on the continent. He specifically pointed out that European support would not only aid in material resources but also in legitimizing the effort to confront the crisis in Haiti, as reported by the Kenyan newspaper Nation.

Furthermore, Kenya’s Interior Minister, Kithure Kindiki, stated that Kenya would not deploy its police officers to Haiti as part of the multinational mission approved by the United Nations until the estimated deployment cost of 225 million euros is secured. Kindiki informed the Kenyan Parliament that resources for the mission should be organized and mobilized among UN Member States, and without these resources being fully mobilized and available, Kenyan troops would not be deployed.

This stance highlights the complexities involved in international peacekeeping and stabilization missions, especially regarding the mobilization of resources and the coordination among participating nations.