Kenyan Police Arrive in Haiti to Lead Security Mission Backed by Canada

The first group of 400 Kenyan police officers landed in Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, the vanguard of a multinational security force tasked with confronting the powerful armed gangs that have plunged Haiti into a state of near-anarchy. The arrival of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, authorized by the United Nations Security Council but not operated by the UN, represents a critical and long-awaited international intervention in a country facing a catastrophic humanitarian crisis.

Haiti has been in a downward spiral since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, which created a power vacuum that heavily armed gangs have ruthlessly exploited. These groups now control over 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, engaging in turf wars that have led to widespread killings, kidnappings for ransom, and sexual violence. Critical infrastructure, including the main seaport and airport, has been repeatedly attacked and shut down, choking off supplies of food, fuel, and medicine. The violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and left millions facing acute hunger.

The international community has struggled to formulate an effective response. In October 2022, Haiti's then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry formally requested foreign armed assistance, but few countries were willing to lead such a perilous mission. Kenya eventually volunteered in July 2023, but the deployment faced significant delays due to legal challenges within Kenya and concerns over funding and logistics.

Canada's Pivotal Support Role

While not contributing its own police or military personnel to the ground mission, Canada has been a central player in its formation. The Canadian government has been a vocal advocate for the MSS, using its diplomatic channels to build a coalition of support. Ottawa has committed significant financial and logistical resources, pledging approximately $123 million for the mission. This funding is directed towards equipment, communications technology, and the establishment of a joint coordination centre. Furthermore, Canada has provided training for Haitian police and has been involved in training contributing officers from Caribbean nations.

Canada's decision to support rather than lead the mission reflects its current foreign policy and military posture. The Canadian Armed Forces are already stretched thin with commitments at home and abroad, and the government faces ongoing scrutiny over its military readiness. This has led to mounting pressure on defence spending ahead of the upcoming NATO summit, making a complex, open-ended deployment in Haiti politically and logistically challenging. Instead, Canada has focused on sanctions against Haitian political and economic elites accused of financing and colluding with the gangs, aiming to sever the link between organized crime and positions of power.

A Mission Fraught with Challenges

The Kenyan-led force arrives to a formidable task. The gangs are well-armed, often with weapons smuggled from the United States, and deeply entrenched in the communities they control. Leaders like Jimmy "Barbecue" Chérizier have warned they will fight any foreign intervention. The mission's success will depend heavily on its rules of engagement, its coordination with the under-equipped and outgunned Haitian National Police (HNP), and its ability to win the trust of a population deeply skeptical of foreign forces after negative experiences with past interventions.

Previous UN missions in Haiti were marred by a devastating cholera outbreak linked to peacekeepers and numerous allegations of sexual abuse, leaving a legacy of mistrust. The MSS mission, while UN-authorized, operates outside the traditional blue-helmet framework, raising questions about oversight and accountability mechanisms. Human rights groups have also expressed concern over the track record of the Kenyan police force, which has faced accusations of using excessive force at home.

The mission's deployment comes as Haiti navigates a delicate political transition. A Transitional Presidential Council was installed earlier this year after Ariel Henry resigned under pressure, and a new prime minister, Garry Conille, has been appointed. The stability of this new government is crucial for the MSS mission's long-term success, as a security-focused approach must be paired with a viable political process that can eventually lead to free and fair elections.

The international community's focus is divided among multiple global crises, and sustaining attention and resources for Haiti will be a continuous challenge. While the world's attention was recently on the global summit on Ukraine peace, the crisis in the Caribbean requires a similar level of sustained commitment. The initial deployment of 2,500 personnel, which will include officers from Benin, Chad, Bangladesh, and several Caribbean nations alongside the Kenyans, is just the first step. For Canada and its partners, the arrival of the Kenyan force is not the end of their involvement, but the beginning of a new, uncertain, and critical phase in the effort to pull Haiti back from the brink.