Blinken's Haiti Visit: Strengthening Security Amidst Gang Violence

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit Haiti to bolster the U.N.-backed security mission combating gang violence in the country. Blinken will meet with Haitian and Dominican leaders to discuss political and security issues. Washington calls for more international aid and contributions to the mission.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Haiti on Thursday, aiming to solidify the U.N.-backed security mission in the Caribbean nation ravaged by gang violence, according to a senior U.S. official.

Brian Nichols, U.S. assistant secretary of state for Western Hemisphere affairs, mentioned that Blinken will meet with Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille and the transition council before traveling to the Dominican Republic. Nichols emphasized the need for international financial contributions to ensure the Kenyan-led force can persist and allow other nations to deploy units.

The current mission in Haiti, heavily supported by the United Nations and Washington, explores multiple options, including a formal U.N. peace-keeping operation for stabilized funding and staffing. Nichols stated, "Our goal is to have a mission that is effective, strong, able to deliver the kind of security progress that the Haitian people deserve." The United States and Canada are the largest contributors to this mission.

(With inputs from agencies.)