Kenya has deployed 168 additional police officers to Haiti to join the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) in combating gang violence. The officers, mainly from the General Service Unit (GSU), departed from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on February 6 and were expected to arrive in Port-au-Prince the same day. Their arrival brings the total number of Kenyan officers in Haiti to 800.
This deployment comes as the United States temporarily froze $13.3 million in funding for the Kenya-led MSS mission, following President Donald Trump’s 90-day foreign aid pause. However, U.S. officials clarified that other financial and logistical support remains intact, with $40.7 million in waivers approved to fund mission-critical operations.
Despite concerns over funding, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Singoei assured that the mission remains financially stable until September 2025. He also emphasized efforts to transition MSS into a fully UN-backed operation for long-term sustainability. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron has urged the United Nations to consider deploying a peacekeeping force in Haiti as security concerns escalate.
