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Kenya has appealed to the Dominican Republic for increased backing in its efforts to stabilise neighbouring Haiti, where the East African nation is leading an international force tasked with combating rampant gang violence.
Speaking in Santo Domingo on Monday, Kenya’s Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi urged Dominican authorities to bolster their support for the United Nations-sanctioned Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), which aims to assist Haiti’s overwhelmed police forces.
“We want your support within the framework of the United Nations so that we can provide more international collaboration to the peace efforts in Haiti,” Mudavadi said during a meeting with Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez. “We look forward to your leadership in this particular area.”
The MSS was launched in June last year with support from the United States, France, and Canada. However, the force currently comprises only around 1,000 personnel from six countries—far short of the 2,500 troops originally intended.
Haiti, the poorest nation in the Americas, has seen large swathes of its territory fall under the control of heavily armed gangs. The violence has displaced more than one million people, according to the United Nations.
In contrast, the Dominican Republic, which shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, remains relatively stable and prosperous. It has taken a tough stance on migration from its troubled neighbour, stepping up deportations of undocumented Haitians and extending a border wall. Official figures indicate that around 500,000 Haitians currently live in the Dominican Republic, a country with a population of 11.3 million.
Despite its hardened immigration policies, the Dominican Republic has been providing Kenya with intelligence and medical assistance for injured personnel serving in Haiti. Mudavadi called for that collaboration to be deepened, stating: “Our request is that we continue supporting each other and collaborating for the success of that mission.”
He is also expected to meet Dominican President Luis Abinader during his visit.
The appeal comes during rising alarm over Haiti’s deteriorating security situation. Last month, the UN’s special representative to Haiti, Maria Isabel Salvador, warned the country was nearing a “point of no return” and urgently required additional international support.
