Kenya will on Monday know whether it will continue with its plan to deploy police to Haiti for a mission when the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) convenes to vote.
The Council is set to vote on a US resolution to authorize the deployment of an international force to the Caribbean country.
The resolution drafted by the US acknowledges the offer by Kenya to lead a multinational force to battle prowling gangs that have continued to wreck the country since 2021 with a view to restoring security.
It states clearly that this would be a non-UN force to be funded by voluntary contributions.
US has already committed to support Kenya in the mission with a pledge of $100 million (Sh14.7 billion).
If adopted, Kenya will deploy at least 1, 000 police officers to be picked from various formations within the national police service.
The resolution would authorize the force for one year, with a review after nine months.
In June 2004, the UN approved a stabilization mission but countries have been reluctant to send their forces.
The resolution by President Joe Biden’s administration condemns the increasing criminal activities, and human rights abuses which undermine the peace, stability, and security of Haiti and the region.
Sexual and gender-based violence, kidnappings, human trafficking, murders, extrajudicial killings, as well as arms smuggling have been on the rise Haiti.
UNSC consists of five permanent members-China, US, France, UK, and Russia and 10 non-permanent members elected on a two-year term.
These are Albania, Brazil Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland and United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Article 27 of the UN Charter states that each member of the Security Council shall have one vote.
Decisions of the Security Council on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members; provided that, in decisions under Chapter VI, and under paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to a dispute shall abstain from voting.
A State that is a member of the United Nations but not of the Security Council may participate, without a vote, in its discussions when the council sits to discuss considers affecting her.
Speaking at the 78th edition of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, which Ruto attended, Biden underscored that the international body must continue to preserve peace, prevent conflict and alleviate human suffering globally.
"We embrace nations stepping up to lead new ways and to seek new breakthroughs on hard issues. For example in Haiti, the Caribbean communities facilitated a dialogue among Haitian society," Biden said.
"I thank President William Ruto of Kenya for his willingness to serve as the lead nation of an UN-backed security support system."
He also urged the UN Security Council to authorise the mission to the Caribbean nation, further noting that "the people of Haiti cannot wait any longer".
Last month, a Kenyan security team embarked on an assessment mission to Haiti before briefing the president on its findings.
A series of events are planned if a decision is made to send police to combat the gang violence that has wrecked the Caribbean nation.
These include identification of the team to be recruited, training them, kitting the team, funding them and dispatching them to Haiti.