‘Kenya will not abandon Haiti in time of need’ – Ruto
By Joel Sang, March 15, 2024
President William Ruto has affirmed Kenya’s commitment to help Haiti restore political and security order.
In his latest involvement concerning the Haiti crisis, Ruto confirmed he had a telephone conversation with Canada’s premier, Justin Trudeau.
“I had a phone conversation with the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, regarding the situation in Haiti.
“Additionally, I engaged with the Prime Minister of The Bahamas, Philip Davis, representing the Caribbean Community and Common Market, as well as Haiti’s outgoing Prime Minister, Ariel Henry.
Ruto said Kenya’s drive is motivated by the fact that it sees the people of Haiti as its brothers and sisters.
“During our discussions, I conveyed our unwavering commitment to supporting Haiti, emphasising that they are our brothers and sisters.
“I assured them that we will remain actively involved and we will not abandon Haiti in their time of need,” Ruto added.
Kenya has affirmed its commitment to send 1,000 Kenya Police for an international security mission in Haiti. However, the deployment has been delayed by the recent resignation of Ariel as Prime Minister.
“I further outlined our plan to deploy a reconnaissance mission as soon as a viable administration is in place, ensuring that our security personnel are adequately prepared and informed to respond effectively to the evolving situation,” Ruto concluded.
Blinken’s call
The telephone conversation with Trudeau comes barely a day after the Head of State had a similar talk with the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken.
Canada, Kenya, and the United States are among the leading nations on a mission to stabilise the Caribbean nation.
Apart from Kenya, the US, and Canada, the Summit of Caribbean Countries (Caricom) is also heavily involved in the search for a solution to the Haiti crisis.
The high-level Caribbean summit recently met to discuss a move that they believe will help restore stability in Haiti.
One of Caricom’s demands is the formation of a transition council that will be made up of seven voting members and two observers and include representatives from several coalitions, the private sector, civil society, and one religious leader.
The formation of such a council is the first step taken towards holding the next elections for a Prime Minister in Haiti.