Kenyan President William Ruto has expressed openness to transitioning Kenya’s anti-gang mission in Haiti into a full United Nations peacekeeping operation. During his visit to Port-au-Prince on Saturday, Ruto evaluated the progress of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, in which Kenya plays a leading role, aiming to curb Haiti’s rampant gang violence.
The MSS mission, first approved by the U.N. Security Council for a 12-month term, is set to expire in early October. A draft resolution, led by the United States and Ecuador, proposes extending the MSS mission by another year and transitioning it into a formal U.N. peacekeeping operation. The Council is scheduled to vote on the renewal by September 30.
“We have absolutely no problem if the U.N. Security Council decides to transition this into a fully U.N. peacekeeping mission,” Ruto said, signaling Kenya’s willingness to continue its efforts in stabilizing Haiti.
Kenya has already deployed approximately 400 police officers out of the planned 1,000, but the mission has faced criticism over delays in manpower and equipment. Gang violence continues to ravage the country, with 700,000 people internally displaced.
Ruto’s visit coincided with growing concerns from U.N. experts about Haiti’s worsening security situation, as armed groups with political ties expand their control over key territories.
