The Kenya-led Multi-National Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti is facing a critical turning point, with United Nations officials warning that without urgent funding and renewed international support, Haiti risks complete state collapse.
With only 10 days remaining before the mandate of the UN Integrated Office in Haiti expires, the global body has raised alarms over the deteriorating security situation in the Caribbean nation. Despite Kenya’s efforts to stabilize key infrastructure including the presidential palace, international airport, and hospitals UN officials paint a grim picture of gangs tightening their grip on Port-au-Prince.
“Organized criminal groups have gained near-total control of the capital, with an estimated 90 per cent of Port-au-Prince under their grip,” said Ghada Waly, Director-General of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime. “Despite the efforts of the MSS and the Haitian National Police, progress remains minimal without further international support.”
Kenya has deployed 735 of the 991 MSS personnel currently in Haiti, although the mission is operating at less than 30 percent of its intended capacity. Only three of the 12 planned forward operating bases are functional. Amb. Yabesh Monari, Kenya’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, emphasized that without strategic guidance and resourcing, the mission’s future hangs in the balance.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appealed for donor funding to address critical gaps in the MSS mission, including air support, communications, intelligence, and maintenance of armored vehicles half of which are currently non-serviceable.
“The capital was paralyzed by gangs, and international flights into Toussaint Louverture International Airport remain suspended,” warned Miroslav Jenča, UN Assistant Secretary-General.
Compounding the crisis is the rise of private security groups and vigilante movements, reflecting growing public desperation. Meanwhile, the United States under pressure to reduce foreign spending has signaled reluctance to continue bearing the financial burden.
Guterres has urged the UN Security Council to approve the creation of a dedicated UN support office to ensure the mission’s operational viability.
As the countdown continues, the fate of both the MSS mission and Haiti’s fragile recovery hinges on swift, decisive global action.
