Troops deployed to Haiti through UN for first time in about 20 years
“More than 950 people kidnapped”… Recently, crimes such as murders have increased rapidly.
The United Nations Security Council decided to deploy a Kenya-led multinational police force to help eradicate violent gangs in Haiti.
According to the Associated Press on the 2nd (local time), the draft resolution prepared by the United States regarding the deployment of multinational police forces in Haiti was passed with 13 votes in favor and 2 abstentions from China and Russia.
According to the resolution, the multinational police force will be deployed for one year and will be reviewed after nine months. The Associated Press explained that this is the first deployment of troops to Haiti with UN approval in about 20 years.
Haitian Foreign Minister Jean-Victor Geneus said, “It is more than just a simple vote, it is actually a sign of solidarity with the suffering people. It is a ray of hope for the people who have suffered for too long.”
The exact timing of deployment has not yet been determined. U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken recently said police forces could be deployed to Haiti within months. The Kenyan government reportedly stated that police forces should arrive by January 1st of next year.
It is not yet known how much police force will be deployed. Previously, the Kenyan government proposed sending 1,000 police officers. In addition to Kenya, Jamaica and the Bahamas have also promised to send police forces. The U.S. Joe Biden administration announced last month that it would provide $100 million to support Kenya.
This Security Council resolution vote took place about a year after the Haitian government struggled to control violent gangs and requested help from foreign countries amid a surge in murders, rapes, and kidnappings in Haiti. Since the assassination of then-President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, the Haitian government has not been able to function properly.
According to UN statistics, from January to August 15 of this year, more than 2,400 people were killed in Haiti, more than 950 were kidnapped, and 902 were injured.
Approximately 60% of Haiti’s total population of 11 million people earn less than $2 a day, and the poverty problem is said to be growing as inflation has recently worsened.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.