{"id":130173,"date":"2026-02-07T09:03:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-07T09:03:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/kenya-to-begin-drawdown-in-haiti-as-gang-suppression-force-takes-over\/"},"modified":"2026-02-07T09:03:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-07T09:03:17","slug":"kenya-to-begin-drawdown-in-haiti-as-gang-suppression-force-takes-over","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/kenya-to-begin-drawdown-in-haiti-as-gang-suppression-force-takes-over\/","title":{"rendered":"Kenya to begin drawdown in Haiti as Gang Suppression Force takes over"},"content":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 7 \u2014 Kenya is set to begin reducing its police deployment in Haiti after achieving what it considers the primary objective of stabilizing the country, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing\u2019Oei has said.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Speaking on the transition from the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to the newly established Gang Suppression Force (GSF), Sing\u2019Oei said Kenya\u2019s deployment delivered tangible results despite financial constraints and a limited operational mandate.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur deployment has strengthened the Haitian National Police, secured critical installations, and laid the groundwork for a sustainable international security framework,\u201d Sing\u2019Oei told Nation on Friday. <\/p>\n

\u201cA year plus later, there is clear evidence that Kenya\u2019s mission has made a significant impact. MSS focused on building the capacity of the Haitian National Police to respond to gang violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that Kenya has officially handed over leadership to the GSF.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe Kenya has fulfilled its role in initial stabilization and are in a good position to begin drawing down our deployment,\u201d Sing\u2019Oei added.<\/p>\n

He acknowledged the challenges faced by the MSS mission, including limited funding, narrow operational scope, and restrictions that prevented direct pursuit of armed gangs. <\/p>\n

These limitations prompted Kenya and partner countries to advocate for a more robust mandate at the United Nations General Assembly and UN Security Council.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe mission\u2019s narrow mandate did not include pursuing gangs directly, which presented operational challenges,\u201d Sing\u2019Oei explained. <\/p>\n

GFS transition <\/h2>\n

He emphasized that Kenya\u2019s deployment demonstrated credibility, respect for Haitian institutions, and support for Haitian-led processes, despite operating under difficult conditions.<\/p>\n

The deployment deadline for the newly constituted Gang Suppression Force is Saturday, February 7, 2025, marking a decisive shift from the Kenya-led MSS mission that has struggled to curb entrenched gang violence.<\/p>\n

In October last year, the UN Security Council voted to transition MSS into a stronger, more heavily armed GSF under Resolution 2793, with 12 votes in favor and three abstentions\u2014Russia, China, and Pakistan. <\/p>\n

The resolution authorizes the GSF for 12 months, supported by a UN Support Office and the Organization of American States (OAS).<\/p>\n

U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said the new force addresses MSS shortcomings. <\/p>\n

\u201cDespite commendable efforts, the international community failed to deliver a mission fit for purpose. The GSF is designed to correct that,\u201d he said, warning that Haiti\u2019s statehood remains threatened by rampant gang violence.<\/p>\n

The GSF, mandated under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, will conduct proactive anti-gang operations, secure critical infrastructure, and restore state control over territory. <\/p>\n

Its strength is expected to exceed 5,500 personnel\u2014more than five times the size of MSS.<\/p>\n

735 police officers <\/h2>\n

Kenya has led the MSS since October 2023, deploying 735 police officers as the backbone of the nearly 1,000-strong multinational force. <\/p>\n

Nairobi has repeatedly cited inadequate international support, delayed equipment, and unfulfilled donor commitments, with President William Ruto warning that fragile gains risk being undone.<\/p>\n

China and Russia abstained from the vote, with Beijing raising concerns over force composition and accountability mechanisms. <\/p>\n

Haiti\u2019s Transitional Presidential Council President Laurent Saint welcomed the UN decision, calling the GSF vital for restoring national stability, while Panama and other co-sponsors expressed optimism that security gains would enable political reforms and elections.<\/p>\n

Kenya continues to reinforce the GSF, deploying its fifth contingent of 230 officers in December last year, bringing the total Kenyan contribution in Haiti to over 700\u2014the largest of any country in the mission.<\/p>\n

Addressing the troops upon arrival, GSF Force Commander Godfrey Otunge reaffirmed Kenya\u2019s commitment to restoring stability. <\/p>\n

\u201cKenya stands with Haiti for as long as it takes until peace prevails,\u201d Otunge said, highlighting that the GSF is better coordinated and resourced than the MSS.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 7 \u2014 Kenya is set to begin reducing its police deployment in Haiti after achieving what it considers the primary objective of stabilizing the country, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing\u2019Oei has said. Speaking on the transition from the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to the newly established Gang Suppression Force […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-130173","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130173","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=130173"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/130173\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=130173"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=130173"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=130173"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}