NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 11 – Haiti’s Interim Prime Minister, Garry Conille, has dispelled earlier concerns that language barriers between Haitian forces and the Kenyan police units involved in the Multi-National Security Support Mission (MSS) would hinder peacekeeping efforts in the troubled nation.
Speaking Friday, Conille who is on an official visit in Kenya assured the public that the language differences between Kenyan officers, who primarily speak Swahili and English, and their Haitian counterparts, who predominantly speak French and Creole, have not affected the mission’s effectiveness.
Before the deployment of Kenyan police to Haiti, concerns had been raised about how well the officers would adapt without fluency in Haiti’s national languages.
“Early on in this process, you will recall that doubters had thought that language would be a barrier. Let me confirm that it is not,” said the Prime Minister.
However, Conille, who has been closely monitoring the mission, highlighted that the teams have successfully integrated and are working effectively, even in some of the most challenging operational environments.
“I follow directly operations in some of the most difficult circumstances, and they found ways to make sure that they protect each other and get the mission accomplished,” he said.
Conille praised the Kenyan police for their invaluable contributions to supporting the Haitian police force, saying their presence has been crucial in stabilizing key areas.
“The first deployment of the Kenyan contingent in Haiti has been extremely helpful. They have engaged almost immediately, working side by side with the Haitian Police Force,” he said. “They bring a wealth of experience and continue to engage with us significantly.”
He emphasized the urgency of sustaining the mission’s progress, given Haiti’s ongoing humanitarian and security crises.
Conille urged the international community to fulfill their financial commitments to the mission, warning that continued progress depends on these pledges being honored.
“The progress we are seeing is contingent on continuing to provide the Haitian people with the desperately needed relief,” he said.
In September last year, Kenya announced that its police officers had begun taking French lessons in preparation for the Haiti deployment.
Then-Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua explained that this was part of efforts to help the officers communicate more effectively with their Haitian counterparts and the general public during peacekeeping operations.
“The two official languages of Haiti are French and Haitian Creole, and the exercise will enable Kenyan forces to better communicate with the Haitian people and restore order in the country,” Mutua said at the time.
Haiti has been grappling with a surge in violence since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021 at his private residence in the capital, Port-au-Prince that has led to displacement of hundreds of thousands.
Source: capitalfm
