Kenya Govt Explains Why Trump Funding Freeze On Haiti Mission Has No Consequence
The PS clarified that President Donald Trump's funding cuts will not disrupt the mission's operations, as adequate funds are already in place to sustain it until September 2025.
Viral Tea Ke Writer 
After reports emerged on Wednesday morning, February 5 that the United States froze its financial contributions to a United Nations (UN) fund for a multinational security support mission in Haiti, the Kenyan government has come out to address the matter.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary (PS) Dr Korir Sing'oei, who dismissed the reports, outlined that the mission was supported financially by the United Nations (UN) Trust Fund which has other donors across the world including Canada, France, Turkey, Spain, Italy, and Algeria.
The PS clarified that President Donald Trump's funding cuts will not disrupt the mission's operations, as adequate funds are already in place to sustain it until September 2025.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing'oei. /FILE
“While un-disbursed US contribution to the Trust Fund of $15 million (Ksh1.9 billion in current exchange rates) has been paused as per presidential directive, the Fund has sufficient resources to continue underwriting the Mission until the end of September 2025,” Sing’oei stated.
He also disclosed that by the end of last year, the aforementioned countries had committed a total of US$110.3 million (Ksh14.2 billion at the current exchange rate). Out of this, US$85 million (Ksh10.9 billion) had already been received by the Trust Fund, with a significant contribution from the United States.
The Kenyan-led MSS mission was established in 2023 through a United Nations Security Council resolution (UNSCR) and involves the deployment of police officers from Guatemala, Jamaica, El Salvador, the Bahamas, and Belize.
"The UN Trust Fund for Haiti is the Fund that supports the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti as established in October 2023 by UNSCR 2699. The Kenyan-led MSS has police deployments from not just Kenya but Guatemala, Jamaica, El Salvador, Bahamas, and Belize among others. As of the end of 2024, US$110.3 million had been pledged by several countries including the USA, Canada, France, Turkey, Spain, Italy and Algeria. $85 million had been received by the Trust Fund including substantial amounts from the United States," he added.
PS Sing'oei also divulged plans to transition the mission into a full United Nations (UN) mission noting, "The transition of the Mission to a full UN Mission to ensure financial sustainability is a key priority to which Kenya and all partners are committed."
"We received an official notification from the US asking for an immediate stop work order on their contribution" to the trust fund for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, said Dujarric.
In October 2023, the UN Security Council approved the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, aimed at assisting Haitian authorities in combating criminal gangs that dominate large areas of the country.
Washington's decision to freeze funding aligns with newly elected President Donald Trump's initiative to significantly cut U.S. foreign aid, which has included attempts to shut down USAID, the government's primary aid agency.
In late January, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres cautioned that without increased international support for the security mission, gangs could take control of Haiti's capital. Guterres emphasized the urgent need for additional funding, equipment, and personnel for the international force, warning that further delays could lead to the "catastrophic" collapse of Haiti's security institutions and potentially allow gangs to seize the entire metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince.
Notably, President William Ruto revealed that he had reached an agreement with the US President who had pledged his support for the mission.
"I was requested by the President of the US to provide Kenya's security diplomacy that is also legendary and known to support Haiti. Now, I am very proud that even President Trump, with the new administration, supports Kenya's mission,'' Ruto announced during a Sunday service at the Global Cathedral Church in Nairobi on January 26, 2025.
