Role Played By The MSS

One year after the launch of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti, the country’s crisis continues to escalate. Gangs have increased their power and territorial control, and the mission still faces critical challenges in terms of funding, institutional articulation and coordination with local authorities, and a possible resurgence of political opposition in Nairobi. The mission’s mandate to support the Haitian National Police (HNP) in combating the violence and restoring security is about to crumble. 

What Has Been Done
The Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti has achieved some localized successes but faces significant challenges in its overall goal of restoring security. The mission, authorized by the UN Security Council to support the Haitian National Police (HNP), has helped retake some neighborhoods from gangs and secure key infrastructure like the airport and main hospitals. However, it has struggled to hold territory, with gangs regaining control in some areas. The MSS has, in coordination with the HNP and armed forces, managed to push gangs out of certain neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince. The mission has helped reopen the main hospital, which were previously under gang control. The deployment of the MSS has created a sense of hope among Haitians regarding improved security. The Haitian government successfully established a provisional council to facilitate national elections, a crucial step towards fulfilling the mission's mandate. 

What Needs To Be Done    
Apart from urgent financial support, a strategic redesign is required to finally establish the operational and tactical foundations of the mission, rethink its collaboration with the HNP, and enable it to adapt to the situation in Haiti. The international community needs to recognize that the MSS is not just another intervention but potentially the last viable opportunity to prevent Haiti’s complete collapse into a gang-controlled State. The mission needs to be placed at the centre of its strategic agenda, with a focus on tactical and operational support as well as material assistance. Without this, the MSS faces imminent failure, representing a shameful missed opportunity and a catastrophic abandonment of the Haitian people. Should the MSS mission in Haiti fail, the responsibility will not rest with Kenya alone, but will reflect a broader shortcoming on the part of the international community. The mission is facing significant challenges, including funding limitations, insufficient personnel, and the continued strength of gangs. 

Operational Challenges
The gangs, united under the powerful Viv Ansanm coalition...