NAIROBI, Kenya- A contingent of Kenyan police on Monday night departed for Haiti to combat the influence of powerful criminal gangs that have brought turmoil and violence to the Caribbean nation.
President William Ruto held a ceremony to wish luck to the 400 officers who will arrive in Haiti later this week as part of a United Nations-backed initiative.
This is the first contingent out of the 1,000 police officers that Kenya expects to send.
“This mission is one of the most urgent, important, and historic in the history of global solidarity,” Ruto told the officers. “It is a mission to affirm the universal values of the community of nations, a mission to take a stand for humanity.”
The effort has been welcomed by Ruto and the United States after months of debate over how to address the spiraling violence in Haiti.
Gangs have expanded their influence, gained control over large swathes of territory, and brought violence and instability to the lives of civilians.
The deployment of Kenyan police marks a significant step in international efforts to restore order and peace in Haiti.
“We hope to see further measurable improvements in security, particularly with respect to access to humanitarian aid and core economic activity,” US Department of State spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Monday.
While countries including the US and Canada have called for an international police mission, they have been hesitant to commit their own troops to such an effort.
A UN official said in March that at least 5,000 foreign police officers would be needed to help tackle gang violence in Haiti, far more than the 1,000 Kenyan police set to be deployed.
