Kenya Sends 217 Police Officers to Haiti

A contingent of 217 Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti to reinforce the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) aimed at restoring order amid escalating gang violence that controls approximately 85% of Port-au-Prince. This group, which includes 30 female officers, is part of a larger deployment that will eventually total 1,000 officers from Kenya to combat the ongoing crisis, which resulted in over 5,600 deaths last year. The Kenyan forces received a warm welcome from Haitian officials, who highlighted the importance of this reinforcement in combating criminal networks. Despite previous deployments, gang violence has surged, displacing over a million residents and raising concerns about the effectiveness of international interventions. Kenyan officials have expressed optimism about the mission's progress, citing positive feedback from both U.S. administrations. The UN Security Council has recently extended the mission's mandate, acknowledging the critical situation in Haiti.