The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to extend the mandate of a Kenya-led multinational force trying to quell gang violence in Haiti after ignoring a request from the Haitian government to begin talks to transition to a UN peacekeeping force.
United Nations — The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously on Monday after ignoring Haiti’s request to begin talks to transform the Kenya-led multinational force helping to quell gang violence in Haiti into a U.N. peacekeeping mission.
China and Russia succeeded in removing a clause from the resolution that acknowledged a request for Haiti’s interim president to “begin discussions” at the United Nations General Assembly about a transition to the United Nations, according to a final draft obtained by The Associated Press. Peacekeepers.
Last Thursday’s call from Edgard Leblanc Fils was the first time a government official publicly announced support since the United States proposed a U.N. peacekeeping mission in early September as a way to secure more resources for the Kenya-led mission. That’s it.
About 400 Kenyan police officers are currently stationed in Haiti, with about two dozen police and soldiers from Jamaica joining them. The number of officers falls far short of the 2,500 committed to the mission in several countries, including Chad, Benin, Bangladesh and Barbados. There is also a serious lack of funds.
The gang has grown in strength since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021, and is believed to now control up to 80% of the capital and have moved into surrounding areas. A surge in murders, rapes and kidnappings has led to violent uprisings by civilian vigilantes.
LeBlanc told the annual gathering of world leaders at the General Assembly that while the current U.N.-backed mission had made some progress, “there is still a lot of work to be done” and security continued to deteriorate.
He said Haitians still live in fear and cannot move freely around the country, work or send their children to school without great risk.
The short resolution adopted Monday extends the multinational security assistance mission until Oct. 2, 2025. The resolution encourages the mission to “accelerate deployment and further encourage additional voluntary contributions and support to the mission.”
