President
William Ruto and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio held a telephone
conversation on various regional issues of concern.
Both Ruto and Rubio said the issues are of concern to Kenya and the US.
According to Ruto, the Monday telephone conversation discussed the need to conclude the Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP) agreement that seeks to increase investment and promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth by unlocking the existing economic opportunities.
They also discussed the United Nations-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti and agreed on a joint strategy to ensure the mission serves its purpose.
“On regional peace and security, Secretary Rubio praised Kenya’s efforts to promote regional stability. We discussed the situation in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the support needed from the United States of America," Ruto said,
“I updated Secretary Rubio on the security situation in Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia. I am glad that the US has committed to continue to deploy its capabilities to support Kenya’s peace mission in the region."
According to a statement from the State Department, Rubio spoke with Ruto to underscore the value of the U.S.-Kenya bilateral relationship and thank him for Kenya’s leadership of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to Haiti.
“The Secretary also reiterated the importance of Kenya’s role in promoting regional peace and security in Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, and the DRC,” said the statement.
Rebels M23 have taken control of Goma in the latest assault that has displaced some locals. This has prompted a series of meetings to address the crisis.
The MSS Mission, headquartered in Port-au-Prince, is an international operation led by Kenya and authorized by the United Nations Security Council to assist the Haiti National Police in restoring peace, law and order amid threats of criminal gangs and violence.
There are now 600 Kenyan police officers in Haiti.
There are currently also police and military officers from Jamaica and soldiers from The Bahamas, Belize, Guatemala and El Salvador.
Their presence boosts the total number of foreign security personnel to just under 800.
Last year, Haiti saw a record number of neighbourhoods in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas fall to armed gangs, despite the presence of foreign forces and a new U.S.-backed transition government.
As the gangs took over neighbourhoods and carried out some of the worst massacres in recent memory, they also deepened the country’s humanitarian crisis as tens of thousands more Haitians were forced to flee their homes.
The United Nations said more than 5,600 people were killed by gang violence last year, an increase over the previous two years, and over 1 million Haitians are now displaced.
Kenya promised 1,000 police officers as part of its offer to lead the mission.
To address the money issue, the Biden administration asked the U.N. Security Council to transform the mission into a formal U.N. peacekeeping operation, guaranteeing funding through members’ assessed contributions and allowing the force to expand and get the needed equipment.
