On Monday, 2 October 2023, the United Nations Security Council gave the green light for deploying an armed multinational force to Haiti to foster peace and order. Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez says Kenya will send a first contingent in November 2023.
The decision comes after the Dominican Republic shut down its sea, air and land border, escalating the domestic crisis in Haiti that previously had the escape valve of commutes en masse to the Dominican Republic. The closing of the borders also affected the thousands of Haitians who would regularly cross for educational, medical services and work.
Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry had repeatedly called for military assistance. President Luis Abinader had seconded him when speaking in international forums. During the UN General Assembly in September 2023, US President Joe Biden said no more time could be lost in approving the intervention to mitigate the rampant gang violence and institutional paralysis in Haiti. The United States has said it would offer financial and logistical support to the effort.
Russia and China, which had previously objected the intervention, abstained from voting, and the resolution was passed with the vote of 13 security members. Kenya will lead the force, with Suriname, Antigua & Barbuda, the Bahamas and Jamaica also sending law enforcement contingents.
Once the news of the clearance to the multinational force was known, President Luis Abinader specified the Dominican Republic “cannot, should not, nor will it get involved in a military action” in the neighboring country but will give diplomatic support to the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti.
He remarked the UN decision is favorable for Haiti, the Dominican Republic and the entire region. He observed it took two years of permanent insistence by the diplomacy of the Dominican Republic before the UN.
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3 October 2023