Kenya establishes diplomatic relations with Haiti

By Peter Ochieng

Kenya has formally established diplomatic relations with Haiti.

According to a dispatch from State House, Nairobi, President William Ruto and Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry witnessed the signing of the agreement at the Kenyan Mission in New York, United States.

“The agreement signed by Minister Jean Victor Génus and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Alfred Mutua will facilitate cooperation in areas of mutual interest,” reads the statement.

President Ruto called for a holistic approach that includes political, security, and developmental considerations, to effectively address the situation in Haiti.

The Caribbean nation is facing months of surging gang violence.

Ruto said Kenya will do its part in leading a well-resourced and effective multinational security support mission, in the country.

“As the leading nation in the UN-backed security mission in Haiti, we are committed to deploying a specialized team to comprehensively assess the situation and formulate actionable strategies that will lead to long-term solutions,” he said.

Prime Minister Henry said his country needs all the necessary support to address immense security, humanitarian, environmental and economic challenges framework for today’s deployment.

He said the people of Haiti look forward to the elimination of criminal gangs that have been inflicting terror since 2021.

This week, United States president Joe Biden has called on the United Nations to approve a security support mission to Haiti, to help the nation stem months of gang violence.

Speaking during the UN General Assembly on Tuesday morning, Biden urged the UN Security Council to “authorize this mission now.”

Al Jazeera reports that more than 2,400 people have been killed in Haiti since the start of the year, amid rampant gang violence.

Gangs control roughly 80 percent of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and violent crimes have soared, including kidnappings for ransom, carjackings, rape and armed theft.

Earlier, Ruto held talks with Barbados Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, where they agreed to campaign for reforms in risk profiling of developing countries.

“We are leveraging our strong ties with Barbados to jointly pursue our interests on the global stage, particularly on climate action, international finance, food security, smart agriculture and renewable energy. Our unified efforts will, in the long-run, advance the realization of the global development goals,” said Ruto.