Donald Trump’s pick for Secretary of State position Marco Rubio from Florida, praised various troops on a mission in Haiti, including Kenyan forces under the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS),

US Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio hinted that US President-elect Donald Trump will continue backing the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti led by Kenyan police once he takes office.

Rubio’s remarks are the first high-level signal of Trump’s burgeoning policy toward one of the most pressing and intractable crises in the Western Hemisphere.

US Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio has hinted that US President-elect Donald Trump will continue backing the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti led by Kenyan police forces once he takes office this coming week.

The graduation of 739 Haitian police officers from a college after a five-month training will boost operation.

The Kenya-led security support mission to Haiti is, at present, unfit for purpose. More than six months after deploying to help police wrest back control, rampant gangs have gained more territory and power while access to vital humanitarian aid for desperate civilians has dwindled.

Mission Force Commander Godfrey Otunge was among key dignitaries present during the passing out parade of 739 trained officers in Haiti. In a statement on Saturday, January 11, 2025, MSS said that the passing out parade which took place at the National Police Academy in the Carribean nation came following months of rigorous training which started in August 2024.

During a confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Rubio told his fellow U.S. Senators that there is no easy answer in Haiti, where violence by armed gangs continues unabated.

The Kenyan-led Haiti peacekeeping mission received a New Year’s boost on Friday after Guatemala and El Salvador troops arrived in the disturbed territory. According to media reports, the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti received the reinforcements after a long delay that has seen the mission flatter in the last two months.

There is hope of more operations and impact after at least 739 Haitian police officers graduated from a college managed by Kenya police.

A state of emergency has been in place across the Caribbean nation for months as the government battles gangs.

Remembrance of the catastrophic earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010 comes as the country faces major challenges, including gang violence and extreme poverty.