U.S. Shifts Strategy on Haiti Security Mission Amid Pressure from Russia and China

The United States has withdrawn a proposal for the U.N. Security Council to convert a security mission in Haiti into a formal peacekeeping operation. This decision aims to gain the support of Russia and China. The current mission, led by Kenya, struggles with funding and personnel shortfalls while Haiti faces escalating violence and insecurity.

The United States has dropped its push for the U.N. Security Council to ask for a plan to transform a security mission combating armed gangs in Haiti into a formal U.N. peacekeeping operation. This move is seen as a concession to Russia and China, although a senior U.S. administration official claimed the strategy shift supports a recent call by Haiti's transition council leader, Edgard Leblanc, for a U.N. peacekeeping mission.

On Monday, the 15-member Security Council will vote on extending the mandate of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission until October 2, 2025. Initiated a year ago, the MSS was requested by Haiti. Russia and China opposed transitioning the MSS to a formal peacekeeping force, leading the U.S. to remove that language from the draft resolution. Russian Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy stated their preference for allowing more time for the MSS to establish its efficacy.

Despite the MSS mission, Haiti faces increasing insecurity, with armed gangs controlling much of the capital and spreading to nearby areas. Previous U.N. missions in Haiti have left a legacy of cholera and sex abuse, making many Haitians wary of a renewed U.N. presence. The Kenyan-led mission has struggled to make progress, with only 400 officers deployed and insufficient funding, while gang violence has displaced over 700,000 people, according to U.N. estimates.

(With inputs from agencies.)