What's happened
On September 30, 2024, the UN Security Council unanimously extended the Kenyan-led policing mission in Haiti until October 2025 amid escalating gang violence. Despite the deployment, armed groups control much of Port-au-Prince, displacing over 700,000 people. Calls for increased support and a potential transition to a UN peacekeeping mission continue to grow.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Al Jazeera, the UN Security Council's resolution reflects deep concern over Haiti's escalating violence, with interim Prime Minister Garry Conille emphasizing the need for urgent international support. The Independent notes that the current Kenyan police presence has been largely ineffective, with many Haitians expressing skepticism about foreign interventions due to past failures. The New York Times highlights the dire humanitarian conditions, stating that gangs have expanded their control beyond the capital, complicating the security situation further.
How we got here
Haiti has faced severe gang violence since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. The situation worsened in early 2024, prompting the deployment of a UN-backed multinational police force led by Kenya. However, the mission has struggled with inadequate resources and troop deployment.
More on these topics
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Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti formerly founded as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, to the east of Cuba and Jamaica and south of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos
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The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
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William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto CGH is a Kenyan politician who is serving as the fifth and current president of Kenya since 13 September 2022. Prior to becoming president, he served as the first elected deputy president of Kenya from 2013 to 2022.
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Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country in Eastern Africa. At 580,367 square kilometres, Kenya is the world's 48th largest country by total area. With a population of more than 47.6 million people, Kenya is the 29th most populous country.
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Port-au-Prince is the capital and most populous city of Haiti. The city's population was estimated at 987,310 in 2015 with the metropolitan area estimated at a population of 2,618,894.
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The United Nations Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, and approving any changes to the UN
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Dr. Garry Conille is a Haitian academic, development worker, author, and former Prime Minister of Haiti. He submitted his resignation as prime minister on 24 February 2012, and was officially succeeded by Laurent Lamothe on 16 May 2012.