Last week, a Kenyan delegation arrived in Haiti, setting the stage for a mission aimed at assisting Haitian police in tackling the criminal groups responsible for the ongoing violence and chaos in Port-au-Prince, the nation’s capital.
The United Nations Security Council authorized the Kenyan-led mission in October 2023, and its deployment is imminent. The mission’s mandate includes supporting Haitian police in securing critical infrastructure and combating criminal organizations that dominate nearly all of Port-au-Prince and are responsible for widespread human rights abuses.
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On May 20, a delegation, including the commander of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, arrived to evaluate the United States government’s preparations for the mission’s deployment. Kenyan President William Ruto recently met with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington, where Biden pledged additional support for the MSS.
A critical concern is whether the countries involved are ensuring that the MSS respects human rights. The U.S. government has confirmed to Human Rights Watch that it is vetting all MSS personnel as required by U.S. law. Additionally, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is working on the mission’s regulatory framework. Haiti’s transitional presidential council has announced that the Haitian police will oversee the MSS operation, with the upcoming national security council supervising and defining the mission’s assistance.
However, the UN Security Council has yet to receive the necessary information from the MSS regarding rules of engagement, human rights due diligence, safeguards, and accountability mechanisms.
The MSS also faces significant legal and funding challenges. A Kenyan High Court decision on January 26 declared the order to deploy police officers to Haiti unconstitutional, with an appeal pending and a new lawsuit scheduled for a hearing in June. The mission’s trust fund has received only US$21 million, far below the estimated initial operational costs of US$600 million.
Haitians urgently need international support that respects human rights to restore security. Governments, particularly those of the United States, France, and nations from Latin America and the Caribbean, should ensure the UN-authorized mission receives adequate funding, personnel, and technical capacities.
To prevent the failures and abuses of past international interventions, members of the UN Security Council should insist that all troop-contributing countries implement a robust human rights due diligence policy. This should include an independent oversight mechanism, involving Haitian civil society, to monitor and report on the conduct of both the Haitian National Police and MSS personnel.
Given the complexity of Haiti’s crisis, a comprehensive approach grounded in human rights principles is essential. Haitians deserve strong measures to ensure full compliance with international law, respect for their human rights, and transparency about these efforts.
