Kenyan police officers arrive in Haiti today

Haiti.- The first contingent of Kenyan police officers is set to arrive in Haiti within hours, following President William Ruto’s official deployment of 400 officers at an event in Nairobi. This deployment precedes Ruto’s departure to lead a multinational mission authorized by the United Nations Security Council aimed at restoring peace in the Caribbean nation.

“Kenya has a strong track record in peacemaking and conflict resolution. The presence of our police officers in Haiti will bring relief to women, men, and children whose lives have been devastated by armed gang violence,” stated Ruto, emphasizing their commitment to work with the international community towards sustainable stability in Haiti.

The ceremony took place at the Administrative Police Training School, with deployment scheduled shortly despite existing legal challenges in Kenya prohibiting it. The officers, part of a larger contingent of 1,000 officers pledged by Kenya for the mission, represent various police units and have received training across different specialized areas, including language proficiency.

Ruto’s decision to deploy followed discussions last week with the Transitional Presidential Council, whose establishment in April was a prerequisite set by Kenya before dispatching personnel.

In a parallel development, the United States sent a delegation to the 54th General Assembly of the Organization of American States in Paraguay yesterday. The delegation aimed to garner support for the forthcoming security mission in Haiti and to condemn human rights violations in Nicaragua. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who attended previous assemblies in Lima and Washington, delegated Undersecretary of State Richard Verma and Latin America Bureau Chief Brian Nichols to represent the U.S. interests in Asunción.