In a half-hour phone conversation held at approximately 8 pm on October 3, the President of the United States, Joseph Biden, engaged in a discussion with Kenyan President William Ruto concerning Kenya’s pivotal role in the mission aimed at assisting Haiti. The primary focus of their dialogue revolved around their shared commitment to the restoration of peace and stability for the long-suffering people of Haiti.
Within the course of the call, President Biden took the opportunity to commend President Ruto for stepping forward to lead the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti, following the approval of Kenya’s request by the United Nations Security Council. Both leaders celebrated this significant milestone in their conversation. It is worth noting that President Ruto had previously made a pledge to the United Nations General Assembly, expressing Kenya’s full readiness to address the security challenges facing Haiti, particularly the threat posed by violent criminals.
The White House, in a succinct statement released after the call, also conveyed President Biden’s congratulations to President Ruto for the successful hosting of the recent Africa Climate Summit. Beyond this, the leaders explored potential avenues to enhance regional security and promote mutual prosperity, emphasizing investments, job creation, and sustainable growth.
Subsequent to their discussions, President Ruto reaffirmed his commitment to ongoing dialogues concerning regional security, conflict resolution, and the fight against terrorism, with the ultimate aim of fostering social and economic progress within the Horn of Africa.
In line with these efforts, the United States has pledged its financial and logistical support for the mission, as articulated in a recent agreement between Kenya’s Defence Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, and the U.S. Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin. Kenya has officially announced its preparedness to deploy 1,000 troops to Haiti by January, with the anticipation of additional troop contributions from other nations to bolster the mission.
The government of Haiti, led by Prime Minister Ariel Henry, has been grappling with severe security threats emanating from organized criminal gangs that have taken control of the capital city, Port-au-Prince. The consequences of this violence have been dire, including the abduction of foreign nationals and innocent civilians.
