USA: UN to vote on Kenya police deployment to Haiti

The UN Security Council is on Monday expected to vote on a resolution that will see an international force led by Kenya deployed to Haiti to quell a surge in gang violence.

The 15-member council is set to develop the framework for and authorise a one-year deployment of the force, with a review after nine months.

If approved by the UN, Kenya will deploy 1,000 police officers to Haiti by January next year. The Bahamas, Jamaica and Antigua and Barbuda have said they will take part in the mission.

The force will help train Haitian police and rebuild vital infrastructure which has been overrun by criminal gangs.

The US has pledged $100m (£82m) to support the mission.

Haiti has suffered from gang violence for decades but the current wave of brutality escalated after the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse.

Gangs have taken control of large parts of the country, waging terror on residents and killing hundreds.