One year after the arrival of the first contingent in Haiti, Kenya is threatening to withdraw from the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS). Kenyan President William Ruto has expressed frustration with the international community’s limited financial and logistical commitment.
In a letter addressed to the President of the UN Security Council, Mohamed Irfaan Ali, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres, President Ruto noted that only 40% of the pledged personnel have been deployed, and just $68 million—11% of the expected $600 million—has been disbursed.
“We are compelled to reconsider our commitment,” Ruto wrote, calling for an urgent response before the current mandate of the mission expires.
The warning comes amid a deepening crisis in Haiti. In a report released on June 25, Human Rights Watch (HRW) warned of escalating violence and an unprecedented humanitarian emergency. The organization urged the transformation of the MSS into a full-fledged United Nations mission with adequate resources to protect civilians.
Over the past year, violence has left 2,680 people dead and 957 injured, according to UN figures. Armed groups continue to expand their control over Port-au-Prince and other areas including Mirebalais, Saut-d’Eau, and Petite-Rivière, displacing 1.3 million people—nearly 11% of Haiti’s population.
Children have been particularly affected: 2,269 cases of violence were recorded in 2024, up from 383 the previous year. These abuses include sexual violence, abductions, and forced recruitment by armed groups.
June 25, 2025, marked the one-year anniversary of the deployment of 400 Kenyan police officers, who arrived with hopes of curbing rampant insecurity. But the outcome has been disappointing: of the 2,500 troops initially pledged, only 991 are currently on the ground.
Moreover, 9 of the 12 planned operational bases have not been established due to funding shortages. While countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, Jamaica, and the Bahamas have contributed troops, several other donor nations have yet to fulfill their commitments.
In response to the current deadlock, the UN Security Council has scheduled a special session for Monday, June 30. The meeting follows a letter from Dominican President Luis Abinader, co-signed by three former Dominican heads of state, urging immediate international action to address instability in Haiti.
As the country sinks deeper into violence, poverty, and uncertainty, Kenya’s potential withdrawal would deal a serious blow to the international mission.
Without renewed global commitment, the MSS could fail—further undermining hopes of restoring security in a country on the brink of collapse.
