Ruto bets on soft power to build support for police deployment to Haiti
The government-backed Africa4Haiti initiative set up to garner support for sending a Kenyan stabilisation force to the troubled Caribbean state has lined up a string of events to promote it.
The Kenyan foreign ministry is pursuing its all-hands-on-deck-approach to change minds over the merits of sending an international police mission led by Kenya to restore order in Haiti, which has seen a surge of gang violence in recent weeks. Last week, Edward Githaiga, who partners with the ministry on cultural diplomacy and who is also CEO of Vision 2030 Youth Entrepreneurs Associates, announced the organisation of a concert sometime in June at Nairobi’s Uhuru Gardens.
Harmony for Haiti is part of the Africa4Haiti initiative launched last September by Githaiga with the aim of organising events in Kenya and around the world to help restore peace to the Caribbean state.
The government is keen to promote the mission, despite internal opposition and a High Court ruling in January which temporarily blocked it (AI, 16/02/24). Kenyan president William Ruto appealed the decision and in early March tried to resolve the situation by signing a deployment agreement with Haitian prime minister Ariel Henry during his trip to Kenya.
But the Kenyan police officers are still waiting to be deployed pending the outcome of the appeal, and also because of the worsening situation on the ground. On his return from Nairobi, Henry was barred from entering Haitian territory and resigned. A transitional presidential council was appointed on 16 April to run the country in the absence of a head of state, government and National Assembly.
Concert
The June concert is expected to feature artists from the 20 countries that have pledged to contribute to the police mission. The events’ organising committee, backed by President Ruto, is hoping to raise funds and get logistical assistance from the countries concerned. Performers who have been contacted include the Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, who tried unsuccessfully to run for president in his country in 2010, and the Senegalese singer Akon.
Romania is one of Africa4Haiti’s backers. The Romanian ambassador in Nairobi, Gentiana Serbu, was present at its launch, as was her Cuban counterpart, Sidenio Acosta Aday, Senegalese and Bangladeshi diplomats, and the principal secretary of the Kenyan foreign ministry, Korir Sing’Oei. While Romania has no immediate plans to contribute to the police force in Haiti, the country wants to boost its ties with African countries (AI, 18/12/23). Bucharest sent a contingent of police officers to the United Nation‘s 2004-2017 MINUSTAH mission in Haiti and is keen to support the cultural initiative and put its experience to good use.
Round Table of Experts
In March, Africa4Haiti also organised a meeting between Henry and students from the United States International University Africa in Nairobi. The organisation is planning a meeting with the Kenyan private sector too in the next few days, and a round table of experts on Haiti in Nairobi between now and June will follow.
Africa4Haiti has reached out for support in Kenya and among the diaspora. Its team includes journalist and broadcaster Kenn Okaka, a Catholic priest Edwin Waiguru, who was a missionary in Haiti in 2016, and broadcaster Lucy Kimanzi.