More than 100 Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti on Thursday to support a security mission struggling to contain escalating gang violence. Their deployment follows a period of uncertainty after the United States froze funding, delaying critical support for the operation.
The mission, backed by the United Nations but not directly led by it, has faced significant challenges due to a lack of resources and personnel. Armed gangs, many using weapons trafficked from the U.S., have taken control of most of Port-au-Prince and extended their grip to other key regions, including agricultural areas.
Speaking in Santo Domingo alongside Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged that the mission alone would not resolve the crisis. “The solution for Haiti lies in the hands of the Haitian people and its elites,” Rubio said. “But we will help and cannot ignore the problems there.”
Despite U.N. approval, the security force remains underfunded and short on personnel. The U.S. recently froze more than $13 million in funding already allocated to the mission as part of former President Donald Trump’s 90-day pause on foreign aid. The decision raised concerns that the mission might collapse, but the U.S. has since approved a waiver for $40.7 million in foreign assistance to Haiti’s police and security efforts. However, a State Department spokesperson confirmed that the funds will not go into the U.N.’s dedicated security mission fund.
The violence in Haiti has displaced a record number of residents, forcing many to flee to the neighboring Dominican Republic. President Abinader has responded by ramping up deportations, returning thousands of Haitian migrants each week.
