Kenya and the Dominican Republic have teamed up to support Kenyan police officers currently on a peacekeeping mission in Haiti. The two countries signed an agreement on Monday aimed at strengthening the well-being and safety of the officers serving in the conflict-hit Caribbean nation.
The deal, signed by Dominican Foreign Minister Roberto Alvarez and Kenya’s Foreign Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, outlines emergency medical support and repatriation plans for Kenyan officers injured or killed while on duty.
These officers are part of a UN-backed multinational force working alongside Haiti’s National Police to bring stability to a country overrun by gang violence. Despite the urgent need, the mission remains underfunded and lacks enough personnel — only 1,000 of the planned 2,500 officers have been deployed so far.
The situation on the ground remains dangerous. Heavily armed gangs control about 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince. They’ve recently pushed into areas that were once considered safe, forcing both police and local residents to fight back.
Tragically, over 5,600 people lost their lives in Haiti last year due to gang-related violence. The first few months of this year have already seen more than 1,000 deaths and hundreds more injured, according to United Nations figures. The chaos has left over one million people without homes.
This new agreement between Kenya and the Dominican Republic is a step toward ensuring that those risking their lives in Haiti aren’t left without support when they need it most.