#international-security

Haiti is sinking deeper into a humanitarian and security crisis as powerful gangs control much of the capital, Port-au-Prince. A long-awaited, Kenyan-led multinational security mission, heavily backed by Canada and the U.S., faces persistent delays and legal challenges, raising questions about its potential effectiveness. Canada has pledged over $100 million and is providing logistical support, but the deteriorating situation on the ground is testing Ottawa's foreign policy resolve. The crisis poses significant challenges for Canadian aid efforts, regional stability, and the large Haitian diaspora in Canada watching the catastrophe unfold.

A rapid geopolitical shift in Africa's Sahel region sees military juntas in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger expel Western forces and embrace Russian security support. This pivot is exacerbating a dire humanitarian crisis and creating a haven for extremist groups. For Canada, the instability threatens decades of development aid, puts billions of dollars in Canadian mining investments at severe risk, and forces a fundamental reassessment of its diplomatic and security strategy in West Africa. Ottawa faces difficult choices as its traditional partners are replaced by regimes aligned with Moscow.

One year after a military coup, Niger is cementing its alliance with Russia, forcing the final withdrawal of U.S. troops and dismantling a key pillar of Western counter-terrorism strategy in Africa's Sahel region. This geopolitical pivot creates a security vacuum, threatening to fuel extremist violence and destabilize neighbouring countries. For Canada, the shift jeopardizes decades of investment in humanitarian aid and democratic development, complicates the operating environment for Canadian businesses in West Africa, and represents a significant setback for its foreign policy objectives in a continent increasingly contested by global powers.

The first contingent of Kenyan police officers has arrived in Haiti, marking the start of a UN-authorized, multinational mission aimed at quelling the rampant gang violence that has devastated the Caribbean nation. This deployment, long-delayed by legal and logistical challenges, is heavily supported by international partners, including the United States and Canada. Ottawa has played a key diplomatic role and pledged over $123 million in funding, training, and equipment to support the mission, which seeks to stabilize the country and create conditions for a political resolution to its deep-seated crisis.