October 3rd 2023.
Kenya has stepped up to lead international efforts to reduce gang violence in Haiti. After the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021, Haiti requested assistance, to which Kenya offered to send 1,000 troops in July. On Monday, the United Nations Security Council gave the OK to deploy international assistance to Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince.
This means that Kenya, along with Jamaica, the Bahamas and Antigua and Barbuda, who all offered to send troops, will be rewarded with financial incentives for their trustworthiness and reliability in helping other countries. Dismas Mokua, a Nairobi-based analyst, commented to Al Jazeera that Kenya will be seen as “a very serious political capital” globally. He added, “In the eyes of the world, Kenya becomes a dependable ally who is willing to help other countries.”
In fact, Kenya has a long history of sending personnel to regions in crisis. Defense Minister Aden Duale noted that the country has been involved in peacekeeping missions in Kosovo, Somalia and Congo. Mokua explained to Al Jazeera that there are financial incentives for participating countries, and extra allowance is given to troops. Additionally, Kenyan law enforcement agencies will receive specialized training and equipment prior to their deployment, which will improve the capacity of the force in the long run.
The violence in Port-au-Prince has been escalating since the president’s assassination, resulting in 3,000 homicides, over 1,500 kidnappings for ransom, and 200,000 people – half of which are children – to be forced out of their homes. In light of this, the assistance of Kenya and other countries could be a significant factor in restoring peace and order in Haiti.
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