President William Ruto Signals Openness to Transition Haiti Mission into Full U.N. Peacekeeping Operation

Kenyan President William Ruto, during a visit to Haiti, expressed openness to converting Kenya's leading anti-gang Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission into a full United Nations peacekeeping operation. The MSS mission, established to curb rampant gang violence and restore order in Haiti, has been operating under a United Nations Security Council mandate set to expire in early October.

Ruto's visit to Haiti came as the U.N. Security Council deliberates on extending the MSS mandate and potentially transitioning it into a formal peacekeeping mission. “On the suggestion to transit this into a fully U.N. Peacekeeping mission, we have absolutely no problem with it, if that is the direction the U.N. Security Council wants to take,” Ruto stated during his visit to Port-au-Prince.

Kenya has been a key player in the MSS mission, deploying around 400 police officers to the Haitian capital, with plans to send an additional 600 officers. Despite this, the mission has faced criticism over the delays in the deployment of manpower and essential equipment, which has hampered efforts to tackle powerful gangs in the region.

The situation in Haiti has deteriorated further, with U.N. human rights experts reporting an increase in gang violence, leading to the displacement of approximately 700,000 people. The U.S. and Ecuador have circulated a draft resolution to renew the MSS mandate for another 12 months and initiate preparations for its conversion into a U.N. peacekeeping force. A vote on the mandate extension is expected by September 30.