Update on Kenyan-Led Multinational
Interventionist Force

Despite the serious opposition of the Haitian people and their friends and allies around the world, preparations for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti, based on 1,000 Kenyan police and 2,000 troops from Benin, in addition to reinforcements from several Caribbean countries, continue.

Haiti Libre reports that on April 17, Benin's Council of Ministers announced the appointment of Colonel Pamphile Zomahoun, Director of Benin's intelligence services, as Benin's special envoy to Haiti to prepare for Haiti to receive the 2,000 troops from Benin. Before departing for Haiti, the troops will receive additional training from Beninese and foreign instructors. The timetable for the deployment of the MSS Mission is still unknown.

Reports in Kenyan news media show which interests support the deployment. According to this media, Haitian business leaders have written a letter to Kenyan President William Ruto to fast track the deployment, which they claim will set the country on the path to recovery. They affirmed cooperation with Kenya to ensure the deployment is a success. The business leaders also acknowledged and backed the formation of the Presidential Transitional Council.

On April, 12, moments after the Presidential Transitional Council was declared, the Biden administration ordered the release of $60 million most of which will go towards arming and training the MSS Mission. A report from the Miami Herald states:

"The Biden administration [...] has faced congressional roadblocks despite pledging $300 million towards the mission. To get around some of the resistance, Biden used a little known executive power known as Presidential Drawdown Authority. The authority was established under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, and Biden has been using it to get around congressional resistance to funding weapons for Ukraine.

"The equipment, which can come from the stockpiles of any U.S. government agency, and the training from the Defense Department, will help get the Multinational Security Support Mission off the ground," the Miami Herald wrote. It continued, "The Mission has been on hold since [President Ariel] Henry, under pressure from Washington, announced his resignation on March 11. Kenya, which is supposed to deploy 1,000 of its police officers to serve as the backbone of the force, has said that it would not deploy its officers to Haiti unless the funding was in place."

The reports do not say what level of funding is required to satisfy Kenya's demand. The Miami Herald also points out:

"Top Republicans in the House and Senate have expressed skepticism about the Mission and refused to approve $40 million of the $100 million the State Department has pledged. The Pentagon, which is supposed to be building a base in Haiti for the mission, has separately pledged $200 million."

For its part, Canada pledged $80.5 million for the MSS Mission in February, while the UN has thus far raised $10.8 million from member states.

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This article was published in

Volume 54 Number 3 - April 2024

Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2024/Articles/M5400320.HTM

Website:  www.cpcml.ca   Email:  editor@cpcml.ca