There're enough funds to secure Haiti mission – Monica Juma

National Security Advisor to the President Monica Juma National Security Advisor to the President Monica Juma / HANDOUT

National Security Advisor to the President Monica Juma now says there is enough funding in the United Nations Trust Fund, to cater for the officers who are on a peacekeeping mission in Haiti.

In a statement on Wednesday, Juma said there is approximately $110 million (Sh12.9 billion, which is sufficient to continue operations.

“There are sufficient funds in the UN Trust Fund for Haiti from other countries (approximately $110M) to continue operations,” she said.

She noted that despite financial setbacks, the Multinational Security Mission (MSS) remains a priority.

Juma’s assurance comes shortly after the US government froze more than US$13 million (Sh1.7 billion) in funding for the Kenya-led MSS in Haiti.

This followed President Donald Trump’s 90-day foreign aid pause.

The UN confirmed the development which caught many off-guard including officials in Kenya.

“The US had committed $15 million to the trust fund; $1.7 million of that had already been spent, so $13.3 million is now frozen,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

The international security mission, while approved by the UN Security Council, is not a United Nations operation and currently relies on voluntary contributions.

The mission has so far been realised and is making little progress with nearly 900 police and troops from Kenya, El Salvador, Jamaica, Guatemala and Belize.

More than $110 million has been paid into a UN trust fund for the mission, more than half of it from Canada, according to UN data.

Just hours after taking office on January 20, Trump ordered a 90-day pause so foreign aid contributions could be reviewed to see if they align with his "America First" foreign policy.

The Kenya-led mission remains dependent on voluntary contributions, which have so far been limited.

The fund itself was created at Washington’s insistence to encourage member states to contribute, but many countries remain hesitant, citing donor fatigue.

Despite its initial momentum, the security mission remains underfunded and operating with only a fraction of the planned 2,500 security personnel.