NAIROBI: Kenyan President William Ruto announced on Friday that his country and Haiti have inked a “reciprocal” deal that calls for the deployment of police from East Africa to head a UN-backed law and order operation in the Caribbean country beset by gang violence.
Although Ruto claimed to have “discussed the next steps to enable the fast-tracking of the deployment” with Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry, it was unclear right away whether the agreement would overturn a January court order declaring the deployment to be “illegal”.
Previously, Kenya had pledged to provide up to 1,000 personnel, a gesture endorsed by the United States and other nations reluctant to deploy their own forces. However, a Nairobi court invalidated the decision, citing unconstitutionality due to the absence of a reciprocal agreement between the two countries.
Kenya and Haiti sign agreement on the deployment of 1,000 police officers to the Multi-National Security Support Mission in Haiti. pic.twitter.com/vJtzFoDQ99
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) March 1, 2024
In an effort to address this obstacle, Ruto stated that he and Henry oversaw the signing of the reciprocal agreement in Nairobi. Emphasizing Kenya’s commitment to the mission’s success, Ruto underscored the significance of promoting peace in Haiti for the benefit of the global community.
The UN Security Council endorsed the mission in early October, but Kenya’s concerns prompted legal challenges, casting doubt on the multinational force sought by Haiti’s government to combat rampant violence that has claimed nearly 5,000 lives.
Opposition figure Ekuru Aukot, who had petitioned against the deployment, vowed to challenge the agreement, alleging secrecy and potential contempt of court. Haiti, afflicted by chronic instability and rampant violence, struggles with deteriorating economic and public health conditions.
