Kenya sends 200 additional police officers to Haiti to address ongoing violence. Learn about their mission and expected impact.

On Tuesday, senior officials stated that an additional 200 police officers from Kenya have been dispatched to Haiti as part of a UN-supported initiative aimed at combating gang violence. This comes after the deployment of 400 officers in June and despite ongoing legal disputes, with plans for Kenya to ultimately send a total of 1,000 personnel.

The mission, consisting of approximately 2,500 personnel from African and Caribbean nations has been pledged to by President William Ruto despite opposition in his home country. The UN provides backing for the operation but does not oversee it directly.

The safe arrival and collaboration of the Kenyan officers with their Haitian counterparts have been confirmed by the authorities. Despite facing legal obstacles, a bilateral accord was reached between Haiti and Kenya in March to enable this deployment.

Although the US is backing and endorsing the cause, they will refrain from deploying military personnel. Human Rights Watch and other groups have expressed alarm about Kenya’s police force track record of using disproportionate violence. The rampant gang-related activities in Haiti are negatively affecting both sustenance sources and relief supply lines.