Congressmen (Republicans) refuse to release $40 million in funding that Washington considers essential for the deployment of the Support Mission in Haiti. A blockage that could prevent the deployment of the Kenyan police force in Haiti, unless another country intervenes to fill the void.

House Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R) and Senate Foreign Relations Officer Sen. Jim Risch (R) have both put on hold the $40 million requested by the Department of American State, recalling [...] "Given the long history of U.S. involvement in Haiti with few successful results, the administration owes Congress a lot more details in a more timely manner before it gets more funding."

They said the Biden Administration had only sent them a "rough plan" to address the crisis...

The State Department recalled that 68 briefings had taken place with Congress on the situation in Haiti and the Intervention Mission, adding that these $50 million in funds were intended for force equipment, training, personnel kits and uniforms. Of this amount, $10 million already released has already been committed, in particular to reimburse Kenya for the training, the official said.

According to the media Politico, the White House sent the Republicans on Tuesday March 12 the detailed plan for financing the mission and the Democrats hope with these new documents that the Republicans will finally release these funds.

Without saying it openly, just as for the funds requested for aid in Ukraine or Israel, Haiti at the heart of the American electoral campaign finds itself among the collateral victims of the political clashes between Republicans and Democrats.

Keith Mines, vice president for Latin America at the U.S. Institute of Peace, said he would be surprised if Kenya could send in its police before receiving funds, saying "I don’t think they can go at all until the funding is there."

S/ HaitiLibre