Kenya’s delay in leading UN peacekeeping force

Between Washington and Nairobi, communication is uninterrupted. Anthony Blinken, the American secretary of state, spoke by telephone twice in less than a week with Kenyan head of state William Ruto, whose country is responsible for leading a future international force to intervene in Haiti under a UN mandate. A way for the United States to ensure its partner is ready to deploy its special police forces units despite the recent upheaval in Port-au-Prince.

Because Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned from his exile in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, March 12, cooling Kenyan enthusiasm. that “resulted in a fundamental change of circumstances”, Secretary General Korir Singhoi of the Ministry of External Affairs announced on the same day: “In the absence of a political administration in Haiti, there is no anchor point on which police deployment can be based. The Kenyan government will therefore wait for the establishment of a new constitutional authority in Haiti before making further decisions on the matter. »

In October 2023, Nairobi responded favorably to a call for help from the Haitian government, the United States and the United Nations, which requested a new law enforcement mission in the Caribbean country, which is paralyzed by gang attacks that control almost the entire capital. Kenya should provide a thousand men and lead the mission.

A deployment is considered “unconstitutional”.

Kenya’s announcement worries Washington, the real instigator of the intervention, apparently eager to see it deployed. The United States, which on Sunday evacuated its non-essential diplomatic staff – as did France – wants “velocity” A political transition, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said. Under pressure from Washington, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) should make an immediate appointment “Presidential Transition Council” in Port-au-Prince.

“I assured Mr. Blinken that Kenya will take over the leadership of the United Nations Security Support Mission in Haiti as soon as the Presidential Council is established through an agreed process.”, William Ruto promised. However, this is not the only obstacle that the Kenyan president will face before being able to deploy an intervention force – which should include around 5,000 men from Kenya, Benin, Chad, Bangladesh, Barbados and the Bahamas.

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