The government of Benin has offered to deploy 2000 security personnel to the Kenyan-led Haiti multinational security force that seeks to flash out the criminal gangs that have been terrorizing Haiti and restore peace in the Caribbean country.

The United States Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, announced this during a meeting with Haiti’s Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield met with Haiti Prime Minister Ariel Henry on Monday 26th February in Guyana under the auspices of the CARICOM Heads of Government meeting.

Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield and Prime Minister Henry discussed the urgent need to foster an inclusive and credible way forward to free and fair elections and a return to democratic order in Haiti.

She went on to reaffirm the United States’ unwavering support for the Haitian people, including through continued provision of humanitarian, development, economic, and security assistance.

The Deployment which was set to happen in February was stopped by the Kenyan high court due to the unconstitutionality of the whole process of deploying members of the National Police Service to another country.

ALSO READ: Court bars the deployment of National Police Service officers to Haiti

According to Justice Mwita, the National Security Council and NPS do not have powers to deploy police outside Kenya.

“Article 240 does not mandate the Council to deploy police officers outside Kenya. Deployment should be as provided for in part 14 of the Act and only to a reciprocating country,” ruled Judge Chacha Mwita.

“It is not contested that there is no reciprocal arrangement between Kenya and Haiti and for that reason, there can be no deployment of police to that country.”

The petition was filled by Third Way party Alliance leader Ekuru Aukot who termed the decision as illegal and wanted it blocked.

The Kenyan officers were to be deployed to Haiti as part of a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) mission.

The United Nations Security Council had approved a multinational force led by Kenya to deploy police officers to Haiti.
The United States has pledged $100 million to support Kenya in the mission.