Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille departed for Washington and New York on Friday, accompanied by key ministers, as newly deployed Kenyan police began patrolling Port-au-Prince under a U.N.-backed mission to combat armed gangs.
The delegation, including Foreign Minister Dominique Dupuy and Finance Minister Ketleen Florestal, will hold meetings with international financial institutions and inspect Haiti’s embassy in Washington. Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer is scheduled to meet with Conille on Monday.
The U.S. is the main financial supporter of the Kenya-led international security force approved by the United Nations to assist Haitian police in addressing the gang violence that has caused a humanitarian crisis. The initial deployment of Kenyan police arrived this week, with the full force of over 2,500 expected later.
Port-au-Prince residents expressed hope that the Kenyan police would help restore peace and normalcy. However, gang leader Jimmy “Barbecue” Cherizier threatened resistance against the Kenyan forces, calling them invaders.
The violence has displaced over half a million people, and around half the population faces food insecurity.