Kenya and US Sign Defense Agreement to Support Haiti Peacekeeping Mission
Kenya and the United States have entered into a defense agreement to facilitate Kenya’s leadership in a multinational peacekeeping mission to Haiti aimed at tackling gang violence.
The pact, signed by Kenya’s Defense Minister Aden Duale and U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in Nairobi, outlines their defense cooperation for the next five years. This collaboration comes as Kenya takes the lead in combating gang violence in Haiti, with the U.S. pledging $100 million in funding for the mission.
Secretary Austin called on other nations to follow Kenya’s example and contribute personnel, equipment, support, training, and funding to enhance global security.
Kenya’s commitment to deploying 1,000 security officers to Haiti to address gang violence has raised concerns among hu犀利士 man rights activists. These concerns stem from past human rights abuses during security operations in Kenya.
Additionally, security analysts have noted a potential language barrier between the Kenyan deployment, primarily English and Swahili speakers, and the predominantly French and Creole-speaking population of Haiti. Despite these concerns, the mission awaits formal approval from the U.N. Security Council, having received support from both the U.N. and the U.S.
In a meeting with Somalia’s president, the U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin acknowledged the significant progress made in the fight against the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab extremist group over the past year.
However, he emphasized that progress in the region could be unpredictable, with both improvements and challenges arising. Somalia has requested a three-month pause in the withdrawal of 3,000 U.N. troops to allow the country’s forces to regroup. Somalia aims to assume full security responsibilities by the end of 2024.
