Haiti and Kenya established diplomatic relations on Wednesday.
The move comes amid international discussions over the possibility of Kenya leading a multinational security force backed by the United Nations to help police combat Haiti’s escalating gang war.
The United Nations Security Council could vote on the multinational force for Haiti in about a week, Brian Nichols, U.S. assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, said in an interview with Voice of America this week.
Henry’s government first requested international aid last October, but despite repeated appeals from the United Nations, the request went unanswered until Kenya declared itself ready to lead such a group in July.
With limited resources, Haitian police are battling powerful gangs that now control large parts of the country.
Kenyan President William Ruto and Henry attended the signing of the pact establishing ties at the Kenyan mission in New York.
“As the lead country in the UN-backed security mission in Haiti, we are committed to deploying a specialized team,” Ruto said in a statement released by his office.
The team will assess the situation and prepare strategies to ensure long-term solutions, he added.
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