We use essential cookies and third-party cookies for content.

The National Times - Haiti security mission extended for one year

Haiti security mission extended for one year

POLITICS 30.09.2024
Haiti security mission extended for one year
Haiti security mission extended for one year / Photo: © AFP

The UN Security Council extended on Monday its authorization of the multinational policing mission in crime-ravaged Haiti, but without any call to transform it into a UN peacekeeping mission, as suggested by Port-au-Prince.

Change text size:

The resolution, adopted unanimously, expressed "deep concern about the situation in Haiti including violence, criminal activities and mass displacement."

The UN said on Friday that more than 3,600 people have been killed this year in "senseless" gang violence ravaging the country.

The Kenyan-led policing mission seeking to assist the Haitian national police in taking back control of areas under gang control was extended until October 2, 2025.

Though it is operating under the UN and Haitian government's blessing, it is not a UN-run force.

Several months after the Council's first green light in October 2023, Kenya began deploying its first contingents this summer. The force now numbers around 400 personnel -- with more than a dozen officers from each Jamaica and Belize.

Last week, Kenyan President William Ruto pledged that the deployment would be completed by January, bringing the total to 2,500.

But with the mission hobbled by a chronic lack of funding, Edgard Leblanc Fils, the head of transitional council governing Haiti, told the General Assembly last week he "would like to see a thought being given to transforming the security support mission into a peacekeeping mission under the mandate of the United Nations."

Such a move would allow it to raise necessary funds, he said, echoing a recent proposal from Washington.

The first version of the extension resolution, drafted by the United States and Ecuador, called for planning to begin for a transition from the security deployment to a full-blown UN peacekeeping operation.

But after fraught negotiations which were marked by opposition from China and Russia, according to diplomatic sources, the adopted text makes no reference to such a shift.

Instead the resolution as adopted "encourages the MSS mission to accelerate its deployment, and further encourages additional voluntary contributions and support for the mission."

Guinea, ruled by a junta since a putsch in 2021, offered on Saturday to contribute 650 police officers to the mission.

P.Jones--TNT

Featured

ANC’s Renewal Rhetoric Fades as Voters Reject Party in 2026 Local Elections

After nearly twenty years of official pledges to reverse internal decay and restore public trust, the African National Congress (ANC) faces a stark reality check following the 2026 local government elections. The results indicate that South African voters no longer believe in the party's capacity for renewal, marking a significant shift from the era when the ANC maintained overwhelming electoral support despite early warnings of structural crisis.

Cuban Diplomat Warns U.S. Blockade Is Severing People-to-People Ties

Cuban diplomat Gabriela Castillo warns that escalating U.S. sanctions are severing vital human connections between the two nations, particularly affecting academic exchanges and longstanding solidarity with African American communities. She argues that political coercion is inflicting collective punishment on Cuban civilians while erasing opportunities for mutual understanding.

Home Affairs Deploys AI to Clear Asylum Backlog Amid Staffing Crisis

The South African Department of Home Affairs has launched a new digital platform utilizing artificial intelligence and biometric technology to overhaul the country’s asylum process. The initiative aims to resolve a severe operational bottleneck, as only nine officials were managing thousands of outstanding appeals at the start of the current administration. Officials warn that registering an intention to apply does not grant automatic protection against immigration enforcement.

Ian Borg Honoured by Palestinian and Arab League Ambassadors for Palestine Support

Deputy Prime Minister Ian Borg has been presented with a commemorative plaque by the ambassadors of Palestine and the Arab League to Malta. The honour recognizes his support for Arab causes during his tenure as Foreign Minister, particularly regarding Malta’s formal recognition of the State of Palestine.

Change text size: