On Monday in New York, at a high-level meeting, the United States, Kenya, and Haiti called for support for the transformation of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MMSS) in Haiti into a more robust "Gang Suppression Force" (GSF), ahead of a vote at the UN Security Council expected in the coming days.

Kenyan President William Ruto acknowledged that the Mission's efforts had been undermined by a lack of material, logistical, and financial resources. "Of the 2,500 police officers the force was initially supposed to have, fewer than 1,000 are currently deployed. Added to this are defective American armored vehicles and a lack of international support [...] We cannot depend on charity. Funding must be predictable," Ruto insisted. For him, only a mission with clear objectives, guaranteed resources, and solid logistical support would be able to address these structural deficiencies.

This observation is shared by the United States, which advocates transforming the Mission in Haiti into a 5,500-member FRG, mandated by the UN under Chapter VII of the organization's Charter, which allows the Security Council to authorize the use of military force in the event of a threat to peace.

According to Christopher Landau, US Assistant Secretary of State, "[...] Despite the contributions of Kenya and the countries that have joined the MSS though, the mission currently lacks the mandate and the resources necessary to address the mounting scale of the challenge. That is why the United States and Panama have worked with Haiti to introduce a UN Security Council resolution to establish a larger gang suppression force with a broader mandate

[...] this new force would consist of more than 5,500 personnel, more than five times the size of the current MSS mission, and would operate under a mandate authorized by Chapter VII of the UN Charter. This mandate would empower the force to proactively target gangs and restore security to Haiti while ensuring it has the appropriate tools to succeed [...]

Unfortunately, the adoption of this resolution is not a done deal. Despite overwhelming support of the UN Security Council, there are still those who might try to prevent its adoption (Russia and China https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45777-haiti-flash-haiti-s-fate-in-the-hands-of-xi-and-putin.html ) or slow our response in Haiti’s hour of need. The time for action is now, and the United States asks all our partners to join us in pressing for this critical resolution before the MSS mission mandate expires on October 2nd. "

For the Haitian authorities, the deployment of a new force is a step in the right direction. "Haiti cannot and will not be able to face this security crisis fueled by transnational criminal networks alone," Laurent Saint-Cyr, President pro tempore of the Transitional Council in Haiti, affirmed during the meeting. He called for the end of the Mission's mandate on October 2, 2025, not to result in a security vacuum. "An interruption would be fatal for Haiti," he warned.

The countdown has begun, and the time "is no longer for promises but for action," warn Washington, Nairobi, and Port-au-Prince.

See also :

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45814-haiti-flash-kenyan-commander-godfrey-otunge-provides-an-update-on-progress-made.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45777-haiti-flash-haiti-s-fate-in-the-hands-of-xi-and-putin.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-45656-haiti-flash-usa-proposes-a-more-aggressive-repression-force-against-gangs-with-more-than-5-000-men.html

https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-44332-haiti-politic-antonio-guterre-proposes-a-formula-for-a-security-force-capable-of-defeating-gangs-in-haiti.html

SL/ HaitiLibre