- The Haitian team held a series of meetings in Nairobi for the three days they were there.
- The team on Tuesday met Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome and his team and asked for help to stabilize their country
A team of Haitian police commanders concluded their trip to Nairobi Wednesday ahead of the planned deployment of a Kenya police team to the Caribbean nation.
The team left Nairobi Wednesday, June 19 night and declared they were satisfied with preparations by Kenya to lead multi multi-national security team to Haiti.
This came as President William Ruto held talks with the Haiti Transitional Presidential Council chaired by Engineer Edgard Leblanc Fils.
Ruto and his team which included his national security advisor Monica Juma and head of the police team to be deployed to Haiti who is the Deputy Inspector General of Administration Police Noor Gabow.
Ruto said Kenya is a firm believer in the shared global values of multilateralism as enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
“We will safeguard shared principles of humanity that enable us to advance peace, security and stability. We shall establish communication channels as part of the ongoing engagement in restoring peace to Haiti,” he said.
The Haitian team held a series of meetings in Nairobi for the three days they were there.
The team on Tuesday met Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome and his team and asked for help to stabilize their country.
“We are counting on your support,” said the Haitian Police official Joachim Prohete during his meeting.
The Haitian police delegation and the IG held discussions regarding the upcoming Kenya police-led Multilateral Security Support Mission to Haiti.
IG Koome in turn, assured the Haitian Police, that "NPS remains committed to collaboration in the mission, for the good of the people of Haiti, especially women and children".
“We are ready and committed to come over and assist whenever needed,” he said.
The Haitian Police team also met with commanders of the team to be deployed to Haiti.
They were also to be taken to barracks where Haitian police would be trained.
Officials said the Kenyan team will leave for Haiti before the end of June 2024.
Ruto said had said Kenya will honour its commitments to restore peace in the Caribbean nation.
“We have a very blessed nation that is being depended on by foreign nations as well, People from Sudan, and DRC are waiting on Kenya to assist them,” Ruto said.
"For those in Haiti maybe this coming week or next week we will deploy our Police to maintain peace,” Ruto said.
The president hinted that the arrangements which had been taking place in the country would be finalised in the coming weeks.
The preparations for the deployment are complete and teams have been moved to their respective camps ahead of the departure, officials said.
Kenya, which is leading the 2,500-member security force, has agreed with the Haitian government on rules of engagement for the security personnel, who could face fierce opposition from the well-armed Haitian gangs that have taken over the country’s capital and overwhelmed local police.
More than 1,000 police officers will join other teams in Haiti to fight gangs terrorizing locals.
Apart from Kenya, other countries that will send officers to Haiti are Chile, Jamaica, Grenada, Paraguay, Burundi, Chad, Nigeria and Mauritius.
The Kenyan teams are from the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU), Anti Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), General Service Unit (GSU), and Border Patrol Unit (BPU).
This is a combat-trained team that officials say can handle the situation on the ground professionally.
They have undertaken training in various areas including language.
Ruto said the police peacekeeping police force is expected to arrive in Haiti to help quell growing gang violence.
Gabow had led a reconnaissance team to Haiti and among others concluded the local police needed urgent retraining to be able to instill law and order.
Officials said the team had concluded there was an urgent need for retraining of the Haiti police.
Among others, the Haiti police need special squads that can respond to various scenes and contain any threat.
In Haiti, anticipation is high that the arrival of foreign forces will help loosen the tight grip of armed gangs that have forced shortages in medications and food, the team found out.