At UN, US pushes larger Haiti force, Kenya bemoans unreliable US vehicles

23/9/2025 6:35

The United States sought to build support at the United Nations on Monday for the expansion of an international force to tackle Haiti's armed gangs, building on a Kenyan-led mission that Kenyan President William Ruto said has struggled with staffing and logistics.



Armed gangs have taken control of almost all of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince in a conflict that has forced some 1.3 million people from their homes, killed thousands of people and fueled famine-level hunger.



At an event organized by the U.S. and Kenya on the sidelines of the annual U.N. gathering of world leaders, Ruto said the 15-month-old force - known as the Multinational Security Support mission - had been operating at only 40% of the expected strength of 2,500 security personnel.



The U.N. Security Council mandate for the MSS mission is due to expire on October 2. A Security Council resolution requires at least nine of the 15 votes in favor and no vetoes by the U.S., Britain, China, France or Russia.