A delegation of Haitian police leaders participated on Tuesday June 18, 2024 in Kenya in a meeting with the Inspector General of the Kenyan Police, Japhet Koome. They were Divisional Commissioner Joachim Prophète, Swat Chief Merson Robinson and another unidentified police officer.
The meeting was held at the National Police Service (NPS) headquarters in Nairobi. What was the objective of this meeting, many wonder? Is this still in perspective of the 1,000 Kenyan officers who should be part of the occupation mission that the United States is preparing for the end of June 2024 under the pretext of a multinational peacekeeping mission?
Moreover, it should be remembered that last December 2023, a PNH delegation headed by the then police chief Frantz Elbé was visiting Nairobi, Kenya to meet his counterpart Japhet Koome . Until today, nothing has been revealed about the fallout from this meeting, other than the Kenyan police on their X account (formerly Twitter) had indicated that “ bilateral discussions around security » had taken place. Would we be in the same situation with this new meeting of which the press in Haiti was not even informed.
While the meeting was taking place in Nairobi, Kenyan police were confronting anti-tax protesters in the streets. “We are counting on your support for the good of the Haitian people, particularly women and children,” declared the Divisional Commissioner Joachim Prophète, responsible for the Haitian police, to the Kenyan inspector Japhet Koome who himself returned the courtesy in these terms “We are ready and determined to come and help whenever necessary”.
The Haitian delegation assured the Kenyans that Haiti would provide the Kenyan contingent with all the necessary support to make the mission a success. She also met with the commanders of the 1,000 Kenyan officers expected to be deployed. This meeting was attended by Douglas Kanja, the DIG Kenya Police Department, and Noor Gabow, the DIG Administration Police Department, who is the principal NPS officer for the mission in Haiti.
Kenya will devote itself to training certain Haitian police officers. In this circumstance, the Haitian delegation in Nairobi took the opportunity to visit the barracks where the training exercises will take place.
Furthermore, during the G7 summit in Italy, held from June 13 to 15, 2024, the President of Kenya took the opportunity to express his gratitude to France and Algeria for their support for the Multinational Mission in Haiti. William Ruto had declared on his X account “I am happy that France supports Kenya in the Kenyan-led United Nations mission in Haiti.” To then add “ We also thank Algeria for its financial support to the United Nations security mission in Haiti led by Kenya”
In the same vein, according to the office of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the latter met with the President of Kenya, William Ruto, on the sidelines of the Ukraine Peace Summit held in Lucerne, Switzerland from June 15 to 16, 2024.
The two leaders discussed, among other things, the ongoing crisis in Haiti. They discussed the progress surrounding the deployment of the Multinational Security Support Mission (MMSS) and explored together how they could increase their bilateral cooperation to promote the restoration of stability in Haiti. Prime Minister Trudeau expressed his gratitude for Kenya’s leadership and reiterated Canada’s willingness to support Haiti during this time of crisis and beyond.
