UN Security Council to vote on deployment of Kenya police to Haiti tomorrow

The council will develop the framework for and authorise a one-year deployment of an international force, with a review after nine months. 

“The 15-members of the Council will consider approving what is known as a Chapter VII provision of the UN Charter that authorises the use of force after all other measures to maintain international peace and security are exhausted,” UN News reports. 

Caribbean nations and members of the CARICOM regional group, including Jamaica, the Bahamas and Antigua and Barbuda have also expressed their readiness to support the mission that will be led by Kenya’s force. 

The Bahamas has committed 150 persons to support the multi-national force, while Jamaica said it cannot reach the 1,000 offered by Kenya, it “will give what we can.”

A US-drafted resolution obtained the Associated Press says the force would help built capacity of local police planning, conducting joint security support operations and also secure critical infrastructure sites and transit locations such as the airport, ports, and key intersections in Haiti. 

Leaders of the mission will be required to inform the UN council on the mission's goals, rules of engagement, financial needs and other matters before a full deployment.

According to the UN, it has taken long to establish the mission as “a major sticking point has always been which country would step forward to lead what could be a very complicated and risky mission.”

In the voting system, according to Article 27 of the UN Charter, each member of the Security Council shall have one vote and the decisions of the Security Council on procedural matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members.

“Decisions of the Security Council on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent members; provided that, in decisions under Chapter VI, and under paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to a dispute shall abstain from voting,” it further states. 

Kenya’s role in the mission has been welcomed by world leaders, with US President Joe Biden hailing President Ruto for the move. 

"We embrace nations stepping up to lead new ways and to seek new breakthroughs on hard issues,” Biden remarked during the 78th edition of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

If approved by the UN, Kenya will deploy its force to Haiti by January 2024. This is according to Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua, who has expressed confidence in the mission. 

“We don’t think there’s going to be a lot of violence because these gangs are powerful because they don’t have anybody who can match them. They have guns and they are well armed but they don’t have a well-ironed team to match them,” Mutua said on emerging fears. 

Kenya formally established diplomatic relations with Haiti on September 21, after an agreement signed by President William Ruto and Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry. 

Additional reporting by AP and UN News.