The U.N. Security Council has approved the creation of an international force in Haiti to support police overwhelmed by gang violence, a non-U.N. mission urgently requested by Port-au-Prince. According to the resolution (which received 13 votes in favor and two abstentions (Russia and China)), this “multinational security assistance mission will be established initially for a period of twelve months,” with a reassessment after nine months. Kenya said in July it was ready to lead the force and station 1,000 units in the country.
The aim of the mission is to “provide operational support to the Haitian police” in the fight against criminal gangs, to help protect schools, ports, hospitals and airports and to “improve security conditions in Haiti,” the resolution says. In addition, the Mission, in cooperation with the Haitian authorities, could seek to “prevent the loss of life, adopt exceptionally temporary and proportionate emergency measures,” in particular through arrests, in accordance with international law. The text does not provide any information about the size of the mission.
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