The United States President Donald Trump’s administration could be rethinking its decision to fund the Haiti mission following the failure by some countries to contribute their fair share.
Addressing the United Nations Security Council on Monday, April 21, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, Dorothy Shea, said America cannot continue to shoulder such a significant financial burden.
Shea called on other contributing member states to step up and increase their support for the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to tame the rapidly escalating gang violence.
However, the ambassador assured the council that the US government was determined to help Haiti restore peace, but only if other countries contributed their equal share.
“While we remain determined to assist the Haitian people to achieve the peace, security and prosperity they deserve, and while we acknowledge with gratitude those countries that have contributed to the MSS financially and in kind, America cannot continue to shoulder such a significant financial burden,” Shea said.
“To that end, we encourage international stakeholders and donors to come to the table and contribute their fair share,” the Ambassador added.
During the summit, the US government also issued a stern warning to those working with the Caribbean gangs to traffic weapons and ammunition to destabilise the country.
To combat the surging gang violence, the American ambassador proposed the imposition of UN asset freezes and travel bans on gang leaders and their facilitators.
“Supporting anti-corruption efforts and promoting accountability for those responsible for abuses is imperative to facilitating a swift end to violence,” the US government noted.
Meanwhile, President William Ruto’s Security Adviser Monicah Juma, while addressing the Council, revealed that the Kenya-led mission was working on strengthening Haiti’s national capabilities despite the underdeployment, which she said currently stood at 1,000 personnel.
She further disclosed that the 1,000 officers were less than 40 per cent of the anticipated 2,500 security personnel who are supposed to be deployed in Haiti as per the mission’s agreement.
“The Haitian National Police, in collaboration with mission forces, has launched intensive anti-gang operations, denying gangs a stronghold on the country,” Juma said.
