(Port-au-Prince) The United States will provide new humanitarian aid to Haiti, as well as armored vehicles for the multinational mission tasked with helping police overwhelmed by gang violence, the American ambassador to the United Nations announced Monday during a visit to Port-au-Prince.
After a trip of a few hours to the Haitian capital, Linda Thomas-Greenfield announced humanitarian aid of 60 million dollars, which will be used in particular for food aid, while more than 4 million inhabitants suffer from serious food insecurity.
The United States will also provide a “significant number” of new armoured vehicles to the international Multinational Security Support Mission (MMAS), whose Kenyan-led deployment began in late June, and plans further similar deliveries, in addition to the 16 armoured vehicles provided since the start of the year.
After months of waiting, a first contingent of Kenyan police arrived in the country at the end of June, and patrols began a few days ago.
Several other countries are also expected to contribute to the mission, which has been authorised by the UN Security Council and is expected to number 2,500 troops in total.
The impoverished Caribbean country has long been wracked by political, humanitarian and security crises, including gang violence. But the situation deteriorated sharply in late February when gangs launched coordinated attacks in Port-au-Prince, forcing the ouster of disputatious Prime Minister Ariel Henry.
The violence in Port-au-Prince has affected food security and access to humanitarian aid, with much of the city in the hands of gangs accused of abuses including murder, rape, looting and kidnapping.
Transitional authorities were put in place, with the heavy task of restoring security and organizing elections.
Linda Thomas-Greenfield met with these transitional authorities on Monday, including the new Prime Minister Garry Conille, calling in particular on the government to “quickly” appoint a “credible” electoral council to prepare for elections in this country where no poll has taken place since 2016, indicated her spokesperson Nate Evans.
“Haitians deserve free and fair elections, and a government that is accountable to the people,” the ambassador told reporters.