The United States has officially halted funding for a United Nations-backed mission in Haiti aimed at combating gang violence and restoring stability to the country’s capital, the U.N. announced on Tuesday. The decision comes as a major setback for the multinational security force, led by Kenyan police, which has already been struggling with financial and personnel shortages.
Funding Freeze and Its Immediate Impact
The U.S. had previously committed $15 million to the trust fund supporting the mission, making it the largest financial backer of the initiative. However, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric confirmed that $1.7 million of those funds have already been spent, leaving $13.3 million now frozen. Dujarric warned that this halt in financial support would have an “immediate impact” on the mission’s operations, potentially weakening efforts to curb the influence of armed gangs that have tightened their grip on Haiti.
The Trump Administration’s Broad Foreign Aid Cuts
The funding freeze aligns with U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping executive order to suspend foreign assistance programs. The order has led to widespread layoffs among U.S. aid agency employees and the shutdown of numerous international humanitarian and development projects. While U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has introduced a waiver to allow life-saving programs to continue, uncertainty over which initiatives qualify has caused confusion and stalled global relief efforts.
Kenyan Mission Leaders Caught Off Guard
The funding freeze has reportedly taken mission officials by surprise. Kenyan mission spokesman Jack Mbaka declined to provide an immediate response to inquiries about the situation. The mission, which coordinates with Haiti’s struggling National Police, was already facing operational challenges due to severe understaffing. Despite millions in past U.S. support, Haiti currently has only about 4,000 active-duty police officers to protect a population of over 11 million.
Deployment of International Forces Continues
Despite the financial setbacks, international efforts to stabilize Haiti are ongoing. Just hours before the funding freeze was announced, a military unit of 70 soldiers from El Salvador arrived in the country. They joined more than 600 Kenyan police officers and security forces from Jamaica, Guatemala, and other participating nations. However, the long-term sustainability of the mission remains uncertain, especially as discussions continue over whether the force should transition into a full-fledged U.N. peacekeeping operation.
As the situation in Haiti remains dire, the U.S. funding freeze raises serious concerns over the future of international intervention efforts. Whether alternative funding sources will emerge to keep the mission alive remains to be seen.
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