Haiti’s Fight for Peace: International Aid and Internal Strife

Written by Jose  Aguilar | March 4, 2024

Haitian Prime Minister, Ariel Henry

Haiti is the poorest country in Central America and the Caribbean. Over the last few years, it has been plagued with vast violence that has gone beyond what the Haitian state is capable of grasping. The Haitian National Police is severely understaffed and is unable to guarantee the safety and security of 11 million Haitians. This week, armed groups stormed into one of the biggest penitentiaries in the country. This could be caused by gangs trying to gain resources before the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission arrives in Haiti. The purpose of the mission is to advance peace and stability in the country and ensure fair elections can take place. In July 2021, Haitian President Jovenel Moise was murdered, and that escalated the violence on the island. The last time there were elections in Haiti it was back in 2016 therefore the country needs fair and free elections in a stable environment.

Earlier this year, the Kenyan courts had ruled it unconstitutional for Kenya to send their police officers to Haiti since there was no reciprocal agreement between the two countries. This week, the Haitian prime minister, Ariel Henry, arrived in Kenya to meet with Kenyan President, William Ruto. They signed the reciprocal agreement and also discussed the next steps regarding the Multinational Security Support mission. Kenya will provide 1,000 personnel to help tackle violence in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. The United States is providing significant financial support for this mission, and other countries are also supplying personnel for this multinational mission.