US Advocates for Renewal of Haiti Security Mission Mandate, According to Reuters

U.S. Calls for Renewed UN Mission in Haiti Amid Ongoing Crisis

By Daphne Psaledakis and Harold Isaac

PORT-AU-PRINCE – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the urgent need to renew the United Nations mandate for an international security mission aimed at assisting Haiti in its struggle against armed gangs that have seized control over much of the capital and its surrounding areas.

The current mission, initially approved for a 12-month period, is set to expire at the beginning of October. However, it has faced significant challenges, including a lack of adequate troop presence and insufficient funding.

"At this critical moment, more funding and personnel are essential to sustain and achieve the mission’s objectives," Blinken stated at a press conference in Port-au-Prince. He added that the U.S., which is the mission’s largest financial contributor, plans to organize a ministerial meeting during the upcoming U.N. General Assembly to encourage greater financial support and facilitate the renewal of the mandate.

"We are working to ensure the mission is renewed, but we also seek a solution that is both reliable and sustainable. A U.N. peacekeeping mission is one potential option," he noted.

The existing U.N.-backed mission is currently being led by Kenya, which, with less than a month left on the mandate, remains the sole nation to have deployed troops—around 400 police officers arrived in Port-au-Prince in June and July, with expectations of reaching a total of 1,000.

A few other nations have together committed to providing at least 1,900 additional troops and have pledged hundreds of millions of dollars in support. By late August, only $63 million had been contributed to the U.N.’s designated trust fund for the mission.

The mission has encountered obstacles, including delays in compensating the Kenyan officers and supplying essential equipment for their operations.

"There is much left to accomplish, and we are resolved to persevere," Blinken remarked. "Progress is starting to take shape."

Furthermore, he urged Haitian officials to work towards organizing elections next year, noting that the last elections took place in 2016 and the country’s most recent elected president was assassinated in 2021.

During his visit, Blinken met with Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille and Edgard Leblanc Fils, the head of Haiti’s presidential council. He also announced an additional $45 million in humanitarian assistance for the country.

The ongoing conflict has led to nearly 580,000 people being displaced within Haiti, while hundreds of thousands who escaped have been deported back. Approximately 5 million individuals are currently facing severe hunger.