By : Lloyd Mahachi

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously extended the Kenya-led multinational force’s mandate in Haiti until October 2, 2025, to tackle the escalating gang violence that has brought the country to its knees. Despite Haiti’s urgent call for a UN peacekeeping mission, the council sidestepped the request, opting to maintain the current force.The Kenya-led force, comprising nearly 400 Kenyan officers and two dozen Jamaican police and soldiers, falls significantly short of the 2,500 personnel pledged by various countries, including Chad, Benin, Bangladesh, and Barbados. Funding for the mission is also critically low, casting doubts on its effectiveness.US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield hailed the unanimous vote as a strong message of support for Haiti, reaffirming the international community’s commitment to restoring security and stability. However, China and Russia opposed discussing a peacekeeping operation, citing past failures in Haiti.China’s Deputy UN Ambassador Geng Shuang stressed that Haiti lacks the conditions for peacekeeping, emphasizing that previous missions have yielded unsatisfactory results. Russia’s Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyansky echoed this sentiment, deeming transformation premature, given the Kenya-led force’s recent deployment.Gangs have gained control of up to 80% of Haiti’s capital since President Jovenel Moïse’s assassination on July 7, 2021, sparking widespread violence, killings, and kidnappings. Haitians live in fear, unable to move freely, work, or send their children to school without great risk.Edgard Leblanc Fils, Haiti’s transitional presidential council president, urged the international community to address the deteriorating security situation. “A lot still remains to be done,” he said, emphasizing the need for decisive action.The extended mandate accelerates deployment and seeks additional voluntary contributions to support the mission. As Haiti teeters on the brink of chaos, the international community’s response will be crucial in shaping the country’s future.The situation in Haiti remains dire, with civilian vigilante groups rising up against gang violence. The UN-backed mission has made some inroads, but security continues to deteriorate. The world watches as Haiti struggles to regain stability, its people crying out for help.Will the extended mandate be enough to restore order in Haiti, or will the country slide further into chaos?

Editor : Josephine Mahachi