Haiti’s Prime Minister Garry Conille is in the US seeking financial aid and support as the country grapples with a severe gang crisis. This visit follows the deployment of Kenyan police to help stabilize the nation. While the US has pledged funding, it has ruled out sending troops.
Kenya has sent the first contingent of its 1,000-strong police force to Haiti, despite ongoing legal challenges in Kenya. The deployment is part of a UN-backed multinational mission to tackle gang violence in the country, which has been plagued by instability and humanitarian crises. The US is providing funding and logistical support for the mission, but has ruled out sending its own troops. The deployment has been met with mixed reactions, with some expressing concerns about Kenya’s record on human rights while others hope for a positive impact on Haiti’s security situation.
Haiti’s transition council has formally taken power, marking the resignation of former Prime Minister Ariel Henry. The council, led by interim Prime Minister Michel Patrick Boisvert, will focus on establishing security, preparing for elections, and rebuilding the judiciary system and economy. Despite the ceremony, armed gangs continue to wreak havoc in Port-au-Prince, highlighting the challenges facing the new government.
Haiti has taken a step towards political stability and addressing rampant gang violence with the installation of a transitional council on Thursday. The council, tasked with selecting a new prime minister and preparing for presidential elections, was sworn in following the resignation of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, who had been unable to return to the country due to the violence. The council faces the daunting task of addressing the country’s security crisis, which has claimed thousands of lives and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes. The international community has urged the council to prioritize security and humanitarian assistance.
Amidst a recent spate of stabbings in Bristol and Bath, Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Shelford has called for urgent intervention to break the cycle of gang-led knife crime. He emphasizes the need to provide young people with a sense of purpose and a stronger stake in society, highlighting the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme as a successful example.
Danny Butler, 45, from Tulse Hill, was sentenced to 18 years in prison at Croydon Crown Court on Monday after police raided a house in Lambeth and found a total of six weapons, including a pump action shotgun, ammunition, and Class A and Class B drugs. The investigation was part of an operation by the Met to target those responsible for gang violence in south London.
Amidst the rampant violence and gang dominance in Haiti, three million children face severe malnutrition due to disrupted humanitarian aid supplies. UNICEF reports that 58,000 children in the capital are suffering from severe wasting, a life-threatening form of malnutrition, as the gangs have barricaded off the main port and gained control of the international airport. The security forces are overwhelmed, and UNICEF estimates that half of the armed groups include children forced into their ranks. With dwindling medical supplies, healthcare has deteriorated, leaving cancer and AIDS patients without essential medications and asthma sufferers without inhalers. Humanitarian organizations are establishing logistics in Cap-Haitien, where a secondary airport and port remain operational, but a safe route for aid delivery is yet to be established.
Haiti is grappling with rampant gang violence that has pushed its health system to the brink of collapse. Despite the perilous situation, a transitional council is determined to be sworn in at the National Palace, a symbolic gesture of the government’s authority. However, security concerns loom large as gangs control most of the territory surrounding the palace and have vowed to disrupt the ceremony. The UN special envoy for Haiti has emphasized the urgent need for a security plan, as the violence has left over 2,500 people killed or wounded since January, with most of the violence concentrated in Port-au-Prince.
Haiti’s fragile health system is on the brink of total collapse as brutal gangs continue to terrorize the capital, Port-au-Prince. Life-saving medication, equipment, and medical staff are dangerously low due to gang blockades and attacks. Hospitals and clinics are closing, leaving patients with chronic illnesses without essential care and even emergency cases facing dire shortages. The chaos and violence have left people with little to no recourse, and the daily medication they need for their chronic conditions is not available.
Despite escalating gang violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s transitional council is determined to be sworn in at the National Palace on Wednesday. The council’s installation is seen as a show of defiance against gangs that have paralyzed the capital and surrounding areas. However, regional officials have raised security concerns, urging the council to consider an alternative venue amidst ongoing gunfire and attacks by gangs. The ceremony is part of an effort to restore stability to Haiti, which has seen a surge in violence resulting in over 2,500 deaths and injuries since January. The U.N. has called for urgent security measures to address the crisis and counter the gangs’ threats to disrupt the political process.
