The Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission in Haiti received a big boost just days after the United States declared a temporary funding freeze for the mission.
In a statement issued on February 7, MSS disclosed that they had received a delivery of three helicopters earmarked to assist with the evacuation of the injured in the ongoing battle to free Haiti from gangs.
A Ukrainian cargo plane from El Salvador flew the helicopters in just 45 minutes after the fourth detachment of Kenyan police officers landed.
“In a further boost, just 45 minutes after the Kenya Airways flight landed, a Ukrainian cargo plane arrived from El Salvador carrying three helicopters designated for medical evacuations (Medevac) and casualty evacuations (Casevac),” part of the statement read.
“The day’s events silenced skeptics who had speculated that the mission was on the verge of collapse following the U.S. government’s recent decision to freeze funding to the Trust Fund.”
This comes amid allegations that US President Donald Trump suspended financing for the mission on February 5.
However, top officials from both Kenya and the international mission promptly dismissed fears that the project would fail without money.
Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary, Korir Sing’oei, was quick to point out that the suspended US financing was unfounded, as the United Nations (UN) Trust Fund still had enough monies to sustain the mission until the end of September.
He noted that numerous other nations, including Canada, France, Turkey, Spain, Italy, and Algeria, had already contributed US$110.3 million (Ksh14.2 billion at current currency rates) by the end of 2024.
“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.
A few days later, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the US had not halted all funding for the mission and had indeed distributed certain support supplies.
“The United States has not paused all assistance for the Multinational Security Support mission in Haiti,” the statement read.
“On the contrary, Secretary Rubio approved waivers to allow for millions of dollars in mission-critical assistance to the MSS mission and Haitian National Police (HNP).”
