U.S. Calls for Renewed UN Mandate to Aid Haiti

By Daphne Psaledakis and Harold Isaac

In Port-au-Prince, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged for the renewal of a UN mandate for an international security mission aimed at assisting Haiti in combatting armed gangs that dominate much of the capital and nearby regions.

The current mandate, initially approved for 12 months, is set to expire in early October. However, it has produced minimal results due to limited troop deployment and inadequate funding. Blinken emphasized the necessity for increased funding and personnel to effectively achieve the mission’s goals during a press conference in the city.

The U.S., being the primary financial supporter of the mission, plans to host a ministerial meeting at the upcoming U.N. General Assembly to encourage additional financial contributions and extend the mandate. He highlighted the need for a reliable and sustainable approach, suggesting that a UN peacekeeping mission is one potential solution.

Led by Kenya, the current U.N.-ratified mission has deployed about 400 police officers in June and July, with an eventual target of 1,000. While other nations have promised at least 1,900 additional troops and significant financial support, only $63 million had been collected for the U.N.’s designated trust fund by late August.

The mission has encountered difficulties, including delays in compensating the Kenyan officers and providing essential equipment like armored vehicle firing towers. Yet Blinken expressed commitment to continue pushing forward, remarking, “It’s starting to move.”

He also urged Haitian officials to prepare for elections next year, noting that the last elections were held in 2016, with the nation’s last elected president being assassinated in 2021.

During his visit, Blinken held discussions with Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille and presidential council leader Edgard Leblanc Fils. He announced an additional $45 million in humanitarian assistance for Haiti, where nearly 580,000 people have been forcibly displaced by violence, many facing deportation after fleeing, and around 5 million are experiencing acute hunger.