Kenyan Haiti mission exempted from US aid cut: President Ruto

NAIROBI, Kenya

Kenyan President William Ruto confirmed Thursday that the US will continue supporting Kenya’s Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti, despite Washington’s broader pause on federal aid.

Ruto said he had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio where they reviewed Kenya-US relations and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation.

“Our discussion confirmed that the United States has specifically exempted its support for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti from the broader pause on federal assistance, recognising the critical need to sustain momentum for the mission and its role in stabilising Haiti and restoring order,” Ruto said in a statement.

The announcement comes amid growing concerns about the US government’s decision to temporarily freeze foreign aid as part of a broader policy review.

Ruto revealed that discussions with Rubio touched on regional security in Africa, particularly in the Congo where the UN said more than 2,900 people have been killed in the conflict.

He noted that they discussed the upcoming joint meeting between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC), set to take place in Tanzania.

Kenya sent 168 additional police officers to Haiti on Thursday as part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, reinforcing efforts to combat armed gangs that have destabilized the Caribbean nation.

Geoffrey Otunge, the force commander leading the deployment in Haiti, said in a statement that “the MSS remains fully committed to restoring peace in Haiti.

The latest deployment raises the total number of Kenyan personnel in Haiti to 800, moving closer to the target of 1,000 officers under the UN-backed mission.

According to Kenyan authorities, the officers are expected to arrive in the capital, Port-au-Prince, on Thursday evening, where they will join other international forces working to maintain law and order.

The East African nation of Kenya leads the support mission in Haiti, which was authorized by the UN Security Council in October 2023 to assist the Haitian National Police in combating escalating gang violence and restoring security.