Ruto Lands In Haiti Ahead Of UN Meeting, Meets Kenyan Troops
President William Ruto travels to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, to meet with Kenyan police officers who have been deployed there as part of a UN-backed mission to combat criminal gangs.
Ruto left the country on Friday to attend the UN General Assembly in New York.
He landed in New York on Saturday around 3 p.m. Kenyan time and was scheduled to fly to Miami before connecting to Port-au-Prince, according to officials.
He was expected to visit Haiti on Saturday to learn about the experiences of police officers before heading to the UN meeting.
President Ruto in Haiti to address National Police officers on a UN mission in the country. pic.twitter.com/QVXAS9iPgl
— Oliver Mathenge (@OliverMathenge) September 21, 2024
He later went on the ground to visit the 400 Kenyan troops who are members of the Multinational Security Support Mission deployed in the Caribbean nation.
Ruto’s visit comes months after Kenya sent officers to Haiti to lead a multinational contingent assisting Haitian police.
It is the President’s first trip to the Caribbean since taking office in 2022, and police officers have been deployed.
Officials said the tour of Port-au-Prince is significant because part of his agenda in New York, according to a dispatch, will be to discuss the welfare of the MSS, whose mandate expires next month but is expected to be renewed by the UN Security Council. For another year.
According to Haiti’s Presidential Transitional Council communication team, the visit is part of a larger effort to strengthen the two countries’ bilateral relationships.
“The visit is part of the strengthening of bilateral relations between the Republic of Haiti and Kenya, with a particular emphasis on cooperation in matters of security and development,” a statement by the team read.
It added that Edgard Le-Blanc Fils, the head of a Presidential Transition Council in Haiti that approved the deployment of Kenyan officers, will meet with the Head of State to discuss “issues of international interest.”
The communication team stated that more information about the visit would be made available in due course.
Ruto is expected to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
This comes after Kenyan officers, working with Haitian National Police, arrested two gang leaders.
In the recent weeks,MSS in collaboration with @pnh_officiel, has led coordinated operations to reclaim gang-affected areas in #Haiti like Port-au-Prince, Delmas and Croix-des-Bouqets.Key routes such as National Road #8, have been cleared and reopened. pic.twitter.com/IgLNud3YxS
— Haiti MSS (@HaitiMSS) September 18, 2024
The mission has been plagued by logistical issues and cost overruns, prompting the US to consider a new format for the mission at the UN.
As operations continue, the troops have liberated several locations throughout the capital city.
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Last week, Kenyan police and Haitian officers conducted security patrols in the streets of Delmas, arresting several gang members.
Among those apprehended during the raid were two “Chen Mechan and Pierre 6” gang leaders.
There are currently 400 Kenyan police officers in Haiti, assisting Haitian police in combating gangs that continue to force people out of their homes.
The Kenyans are joined by troops from Jamaica and Belize. The Security Council first authorized the mission in October 2023 for a year.
Ruto Lands In Haiti Ahead Of UN Meeting, Meets Kenyan Troops
