the United States prepares the ground for the arrival of a multinational security force

The American army began, Tuesday, May 7, to deploy military equipment and equipment in Port-au-Prince. These supplies will be used by an international force which is preparing to arrive in Haiti under the command of Kenya.

The American army indicated on Tuesday, May 7, that it had begun to deploy in Haiti precursor elements to the sending of a multinational security force under Kenyan leadership in this country in the grip of a security and political crisis which has lasted for years. In March 2024, Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry was forced to resign. While traveling abroad, Ariel Henry simply could no longer land in Port-au-Prince, the capital where gangs had joined forces to prevent his return by attacking Toussaint-Louverture airport and storming official buildings.

Since then, a transitional presidential council has been set up and the mode of governance that has been chosen is based on a rotating presidency before the organization of the next elections. The priority of this transitional council is to restore order and reconquer territories controlled by gangs. In the meantime, preparations for the deployment of the multinational force continue. An international force was authorized by the UN seven months ago, since then the situation had become bogged down.

But in recent days, things seem to be accelerating. The United States began deploying military hardware and equipment to Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, supplies that will be used by this multinational force which is preparing to arrive in Haiti under the command of Kenya as planned. According to a source within the Haitian government, a first contingent of 200 Kenyan police officers is expected on May 23, 2024 in Port-au-Prince, information which has not been confirmed nor denied by the American department which simply says that everything is being done to ensure that the first elements of this force arrive as soon as possible.

Negotiate with gang leaders

But for this multinational force to fully play its role, it will first be necessary to negotiate with the most conciliatory gang leaders. Notably Jimmy Cherizier aka Barbecue who is at the head of a very powerful coalition of gangs, the G9. It is Barbecue who is directly responsible for the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry by preventing his return to Haiti. This 47-year-old former police officer has a very high capacity for nuisance. He is over-armed, he can count on thousands of supporters. And Barbecue was not always in the opposition, for example he was close to President Jovenel Moise who was assassinated almost three years ago.

Barbecue is therefore a man with whom it is possible to discuss, which is not the case with all gang leaders. In particular leaders of the 400 Mawozo gang, an armed group which controls the northern suburbs of Port-au-Prince, a strategic sector, because it is the only road axis which leads to the north of the country, but also towards the Dominican border. . The 400 Mawozo gang has a reputation for being brutal, ruthless and uncontrollable. So, the task facing this multinational force is complex, it is preparing to land in a country where gangs are all-powerful, it will therefore have to carry out security operations and diplomacy missions in parallel to gradually restore the order and thus allow the organization of elections.