Haiti mission facing funding shortage as member states yet to honour pledges

The UN-authorised mission that is led by Kenya faces a funding inadequacy as member states who committed to contribute $ 84 million (Ksh.10.8 billion) have so far contributed $67 million (Ksh.8.6 billion). 

The said contributions from member states have been made by through the UN Trust Fund for the MSS. The mission is expected to comprise up to 2,500 police personnel, deployed in phases, at an annual cost of approximately $600 million.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday addressed a ministerial meeting on Haiti, where he hailed Kenya, Belize and Jamaica for deploying personnel to restore calm in the Caribbean nation. 

“… funding for the mission, and for the Haitian National Police, remains totally inadequate.  I urge all those who have made financial commitments to deliver on them urgently. We must keep working to mobilize sufficient resources for the mission, and for the humanitarian response in Haiti,” Guterres told the ministerial meeting. 

NO END IN SIGHT

The Secretary-General noted progress in establishing transitional governance structures that saw the selection of Garry Conille as Prime Minister. 

“But the Haitian people are still subjected to egregious human rights abuses by gangs. Young women and girls continue to suffer appalling levels of sexual violence and abuse,” Guterres further noted. 

According to the UN, nearly half of the population are food insecure and lack access to clean drinking water, with children being victims of crossfire. Children are also exploitated and trafficked, forced to join gangs and are increasingly used to carry out attacks.

“The Haitian National Police face significant shortages of human, material and financial resources. They need sustained and generous international support to equip and empower them to tackle the escalating gang violence and to protect Haitians from violence,” the UN says. 

On his part, Haiti Prime Minister Garry Conille told a Ministerial meeting on Wednesday that the nation was a long way from winning its war against armed gangs that control most of the capital - Port-au-Prince. 

"We are nowhere near winning this, and the simple reality is that we won't without your help," Conille told the UN ministerial meeting, noting the sense of urgency in restoring peace. 

UN PEACEKEEPING MISSION

The MSS was on October 2, 2023, approved by the Security Council to be a non-UN mission that would be funded by member states. 

Nearly one year after the high-level declaration, the Council is on September 30 expected to vote on the renewal of the MSS mandate. This comes two months after the mandate of the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) until July 15, 2025. 

As the decision of the 15-member Council awaits, there have been reports that a section of the security body is considering making the MSS mission into a U.N. peacekeeping operation. 

In his tour of Port-au-Prince on September, 21, President William Ruto to the Kenya-led MSS mission being converted to a full U.N. peacekeeping operation.

"On the suggestion to transit this into a fully U.N. Peacekeeping mission, we have absolutely no problem with it, if that is the direction the U.N. security council wants to take," Ruto said. 

In a press briefing on September 23, Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesperson for the Secretary-General said that the decision to convert the MSS into a UN peacekeeping mission lies in the hands of the Security Council.

“First of all, it needs to have the agreement and support of the government of Haiti. And, of course, should the Security Council decide to move in that direction, the Secretary-General will do as requested,” Dujarric told reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York. 

The United States of America wants to turn the mission into a United Nations peace operation, hoping a formal arrangement will allow more funds to flow into the mission to restore peace. 

A US diplomat for Western Hemisphere affairs said it would make funding automatic through the UN system.

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the United States is providing an additional $160 million in development, economic, health, and security assistance for the Haitian people.