Trump Exempts Kenya-Led Haiti Mission From Funding Freeze, Secretary Rubio Confirms To Ruto

The United States has exempted the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti from a funding freeze impacting US-funded international aid initiatives.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the position on Thursday in a telephone call with President William Ruto, State House reported.

Ruto and Rubio reaffirmed “our mutual commitment to strengthening our existing cooperation,” a dispatch reporting the conversation stated.

“Our discussion confirmed that the United States has specifically exempted its support for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti from the broader pause on federal assistance, recognizing the critical need to sustain momentum for the mission and its role in stabilizing Haiti and restoring order,” President Ruto asserted.

President Ruto’s confirmation of the funding status of the mission came as Kenya dispatched the fourth contingent of police officers serving under the MSS in Haiti on Thursday.

The 144 officers add to the 600 already stationed in Port-au-Prince.

Ruto’s National Security Advisor, Ambassador Monica Juma, had indicated that the US would exempt the MSS from aid cuts, allaying fears of a crippling funding freeze.

Juma’s statement followed reports that the US had issued a stop order on funding for the Kenya-led Haiti Multinational Security Support Mission, potentially plunging the UN-backed campaign into a funding crisis.

“It is true the U.S. contribution to the UN Trust Fund for MSS Haiti is on pause, affecting about USD 15 million in support. It is also true that the MSS mission is a priority and a beneficiary of the waiver,” Juma said.

“Meanwhile, there are sufficient funds in the UN Trust Fund for Haiti from other countries (approximately USD 110 million) to continue operations,” she explained.

Funding appeal

AFP had quoted Stéphane Dujarric, the UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson, as saying the move would impact USD 13.3 million in pending aid.

“We received an official notification from the U.S. asking for an immediate stop-work order on their contribution,” Dujarric told AFP.

Funding gaps, however, have remained a significant hurdle for the mission since Kenya deployed troops in June 2024.

The mission’s funding has topped President Ruto’s agenda with US officials, including during his State Visit to the United States in September 2024.

Prior to his arrival in Washington, Ruto had made a detour to Port-au-Prince, where he met Kenyan troops to reassure them of support amid concerns over delays in the provision of security hardware and financial assistance.

President Joe Biden’s administration had provided USD1.7 million out of its USD15 million pledge to a voluntary fund set up to support the mission, while Canada committed USD63 million.

The UN has raised USD110 million since the fund’s inception, an amount deemed insufficient to support the desired 2,500-member security mission.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly called for international support, warning that Haiti’s capital could become overrun by gangs.

President Ruto’s phone call with Secretary Rubio also included a discussion on the forthcoming Joint Summit of the EAC and SADC, which he is set to co-chair on Saturday with President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe.

The Joint Summit, to be hosted by President Samia Suluhu in Dar es Salaam, will review the security situation, including the humanitarian crisis, in eastern DRC, where M23 rebels took over the city of Goma following intense fighting with government and SADC forces.