THE United States Government is to sharply increase its financial support to the multinational security support mission to be deployed in Haiti in an effort to stem the violence which has left thousands of people dead and critical infrastructure destroyed since the start of this year.

The United Nations Security Council has approved the deployment of the security support mission, which is expected to be led by Kenya, but there were concerns about how it would be funded.

Kenya has estimated that it will need more than US$230 million to fund the deployment of the mission, with only a fraction of that committed up to Monday.

But addressing a late evening opening session of a Caribbean Community (Caricom) high-level confab on the Haitian crisis in New Kingston on Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that America would double its contribution to the mission.

“What we have seen in recent days… should remind us that the already challenging and difficult security situation [in Haiti] has now deteriorated even further and makes the multinational support mission even more important than ever.

“The United Nations Security Council has reaffirmed that and reaffirmed a collective commitment to deploy it as quickly as possible,” said Blinken.

“Given this urgent need, I am announcing today that the United States Department of Defence is doubling its approved support for the mission from [US]$100 million to [US]$200 million, and that brings the total US support to [US]$300 million for this effort.

“I am also announcing additional humanitarian assistance for the people of Haiti, [of] [US]$33 million to further support their health and food security,” added Blinken as he underscored the position of Caricom leaders and their international partners who met in Kingston that only the Haitian people can, and should determine their own future.

Blinken said the leaders who met in Kingston are determined to help the people of Haiti to restore a foundation of security that can ease the suffering of innocent Haitians who are enduring the present crisis.

The level of the crisis in Haiti was underscored by Caricom chairman and president of Guyana Dr Irfaan Ali, who argued that the French-speaking country is on the brink of disaster and quick and decisive action is needed to bring the situation under control.

Ali pointed out that the meeting of Caricom leaders and their international partners was not being held to dictate solutions to the people of Haiti.

“We convened this meeting with key partners… to amplify the voice of the Haitian stakeholders with whom we have been speaking.

“We have held deep and honest discussions with our Haitian brothers and sisters who represent the political, civil society, and faith-based leaders of the Haitian people to attempt to arrive at a consensus around an effective inclusive transitional governance structure to take the country into general elections in the shortest possible time,” said Ali.

He urged the Haitian stakeholders to quickly arrive at a consensus on the way forward and noted that everyone could have to give a little for the greater good.

“The difficult decisions we make here today will have to be in the interest of the Haitian people and we must be clear-sighted, strategic, and laser-focused on acting in their interest,” added Ali as he expressed optimism that the extensive discussion which took place in Kingston on Monday would lead to a common path for an Haitian-led solution to the crisis in the country.

In the meantime, Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness told the opening session that strong and decisive action owned by the people of Haiti must be taken to stem the sea of lawlessness and hopelessness in that country before it is too late.

“We are deeply distressed that it is already too late for too many who have lost far too much at the hands of criminal gangs. The fear of the situation in Haiti worsening to become a civil war is now a real one. We are all agreed that this cannot be allowed to happen — not in this hemisphere, with its long-standing democratic traditions and reputation as a zone of peace,” said Holness as he argued that it is clear that Haiti is now at a tipping point.

“The Haitian National Police is currently under-resourced and out-manned. The UN Security Council-approved multinational security support mission to Haiti is, therefore, a critical and necessary first step to restore basic law and order and provide an environment of stability to allow the distribution of assistance and the crafting of medium- and long-term solutions. On this, I am certain we can all agree. This special meeting must lead us closer to action. With each passing day the situation becomes more dire for the majority of the people of Haiti, and indeed the region.

“We must resolve to end this state of play, and, by our actions, provide hope for Haitians, that this time there will be a positive outcome and things will indeed get better,” added Holness.

Criminal groups, which already control much of Port-au-Prince, as well as roads leading to the rest of the country, have unleashed havoc in recent days as they try to oust Prime Minister Ariel Henry.

With dysfunction growing, bodies have been seen lying in Port-au-Prince streets and the unrest has internally displaced 362,000 Haitians, according to the International Organization for Migration.

On Sunday, the United States said it had airlifted non-essential American staff from its embassy in Port-au-Prince.

The US military additionally said it had “conducted an operation to augment the security of the US Embassy at Port-au-Prince, allow our embassy mission operations to continue, and enable non-essential personnel to depart”.

A State Department spokesperson said the embassy nonetheless “remains open, on limited operations” with reduced personnel.

The German foreign ministry meanwhile said its ambassador joined other European Union representatives in leaving for the Dominican Republic on Sunday.

Last Saturday, dozens of residents sought safety in public buildings, with some successfully breaking into one facility, French news agency
Agence France Presse reported.