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All Kenyan police officers previously deployed to Haiti have departed the country, marking the end of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission.
The departure, confirmed by Haitian sources on Tuesday, follows a weekend ceremony held by government officials to honour the outgoing force.
Despite their “unwavering dedication” in what were described as some of the worst conditions imaginable, the Kenyan-led mission struggled with chronic underfunding. It only achieved half of its intended deployment numbers.
The exit of the Kenyan contingent coincides with the launch of a new, UN-approved operation known as the Gang Suppression Force (GSF).
This more robust, non-UN force is expected to deploy up to 5,500 personnel to combat the powerful armed groups that currently control most of the capital, Port-au-Prince.
A group of 400 soldiers from Chad has already arrived in the city to begin the transition, as the security crisis continues to displace thousands and fuel rampant violence.
Haiti’s political landscape remains as unstable as its security situation, with the country having not held elections since 2016.
After the resignation of the previous prime minister and the subsequent dissolution of an interim council in February, power currently sits with Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime.
The new international force faces the daunting task of reclaiming territory from gangs that have expanded their influence across the nation over the past year.
