US reiterates support to Kenyan-led Haiti mission

The Trump administration will continue supporting the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti, says the U.S Department of State Spokesperson Tammy Bruce.

Spokersperson Bruce in a statement says the move followed discussions between the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of State with Prime Minister of Barbados and Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Mia Mottley.

"The United States supports the statement by CARICOM condemning any actions to destabilize Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council," read part of the statement.

"The United States supports the efforts by the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support Mission and CARICOM to assist the government in its efforts to bring peace and stability to Haiti in the face of armed criminal gangs.  The United States continues to consult with governments across the region."

Amid a 90-day funding freeze on foreign aid by the US government, in February 2025, in a phone call between President William Ruto and the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the Trump administration said would continue to support the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission.

President Ruto indicated that the US had exempted the MSS mission from the 90-day pause, highlighting the need to sustain the peacekeeping quest in Haiti.

Meanwhile, gangs continue to wreak havoc in Haiti, where the Multinational Security Support Mission led by Kenya is helping the Haitian National Police (PNH) tackle the runaway gang menace.

Earlier in April, protesters in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, took to the streets, demanding action from the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) against escalating gang violence.

Chanting slogans and holding signs, protesters accused the CPT of failing to protect residents after repeated attacks across the capital’s neighborhoods.

According to the UN Human Rights Office, OHCHR, at least 5,601 people were killed in gang violence in Haiti in 2024.

It appealed for greater efforts by the authorities and the international community to address the root causes. 

These deaths represent an increase of over 1,000 on the total killings for 2023, according to figures verified by OHCHR.

A further 2,212 people were injured, and 1,494 were kidnapped.

"These figures alone cannot capture the absolute horrors being perpetrated in Haiti, but they show the unremitting violence to which people are being subjected,” said the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk.