United States President Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of State position Marco Rubio from Florida, praised various troops on a mission in Haiti, including Kenyan forces under the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), for their courage and commitment to their duties despite challenges such as being outgunned and outnumbered in the line of duty.
While addressing a forum in the US, Rubio acknowledged the efforts of the Kenyan troops, stating they have done their best to restore order despite facing significant challenges.
“The Kenyans deserve a lot of credit for being willing to take on that mission. In recent days, troops from various other countries have also arrived,” Rubio said.
The mission’s goal is to help the Haitian government restore law and order amidst ongoing civil unrest and gang violence.
By late 2024, the UN Security Council extended the mission for another year. There is ongoing debate about potentially converting it into a full UN peacekeeping mission for more stable funding and broader support, although Russia and China have opposed this change.
The first group of Kenyan security forces arrived in Haiti on June 25, 2024. Despite this, the mission has faced challenges, such as being understaffed and underfunded.
On September 26, President William Ruto assured the international community that Kenya would remain committed to combating criminal gangs in Haiti.
During his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York, Ruto confirmed that Kenya would deploy police officers as part of the 2,500 MSS officers required in the Caribbean before January 2025.
“I must emphasize that Kenya will deploy the additional contingent towards attaining the target of all 2,500 police officers by January next year. The progress so far in Haiti demonstrates that what once deemed mission impossible is indeed a present and undeniable possibility,” said President Ruto at the time.
However, as of January 2025, only about 572 personnel out of the 2,500 pledged have been deployed. Recently, the mission received reinforcements from Guatemala and El Salvador.
