UNITED NATIONS, CMC—The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously Monday to extend for another year the mandate of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission to Haiti. There, efforts continue to bring peace and stability to the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country.
The vote by all 15 members of the Security Council means that the MSS, which is also being assisted by some CARICOM countries, will remain in Haiti until October 2, next year.
However, the resolution does not provide a solution to the financial situation, as the United States has been the largest contributor to the mission, providing over US$300 million.
While Washington has insisted that it will not send military troops to the country, the funds provided are being used to construct a base of operations near the capital’s international airport, armored vehicles, communications equipment, and other assistance.
A United Nations trust fund set up for contributions had US$85.3 million in pledges last week, a significant drop in the estimated $600 million a year Kenya has said is required.
The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the renewed mandate would “put the country on the path to peace and prosperity” and “sends a strong message to the people of Haiti:
“The world is standing with you,” she said, even as she acknowledged the MSS faces funding challenges.
“Additional financial contributions are urgently needed to support this mission in the near term, and we strongly urge other donors to consider making contributions,” said the US diplomat.
Washington had been pushing to transition the MSS operation into a formal UN peacekeeping mission, which would guarantee the UN.
Against the backdrop of rampant gang violence in the country, in October 2022, the Haitian government appealed for the immediate deployment of an “international specialized force” to temporarily reinforce the efforts of the Haitian National Police (HNP) to combat gangs.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres endorsed the request, recommending that one or several member states, acting bilaterally at the invitation of and in cooperation with the government of Haiti, could deploy, as a matter of urgency, a rapid action force to support the HNP.
In July 2023, Kenya agreed to lead a multinational force to the country, pledging to deploy 1,000 police officers. Subsequently, at least nine other countries, primarily from Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean, stated their intention to participate in the force.
China and Russia have, meanwhile, opposed the move to consider the MSS a UN peacekeeping force.
“The UN has sent multiple peacekeeping operations in Haiti, but the results have never been satisfactory, and the lessons learned have been extremely profound,” China said, even as Beijing encouraged other countries to help pay for the existing mission.
Russia said that Moscow opposes any new structure for the mission, saying that military assistance alone would not fix the country’s problems and pointedly noting the “American weapons that have flooded into Haiti.”
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