Members of the American Congress are reluctant to finance the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti, according to revelations made by the Florida newspaper Miami Hérald this Friday, February 2, 2024. They are demanding clarification from the White House.
Previously, there was talk that States would disburse at least 200 million US dollars to finance the deployment of the multinational security support mission in Haiti, half of the amount of which should be granted by the American Congress.
Except that, according to revelations made by the Miami Herald, certain members of Congress could not be more reluctant. This is another hiccup for the Joe Biden administration after the Kenyan court’s decision, blocking the deployment of Kenyan police officers abroad.
The chairmen of the foreign affairs committees of the House of Representatives, Michael McCaul, and of the Senate, James Risch, according to the Miami Herald, want more clarification on the situation and have even blocked the funding.
Of the amount expected to be released by the US Congress, the Biden administration has made an initial request for $50 million. Lawmakers partially released $10 million, then the administration responded by asking for $17 million to begin the process, according to the Miami Herald.
“The administration has yet to honor the specific commitments it promised to Congress as part of the review process,” said Leslie Shedd, spokeswoman for the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Florida Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, who is chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee responsible for foreign aid, said lawmakers need more information from the administration Biden, including their plan B if Kenya was unable to lead the armed mission in Haiti.
“What I can say is that there are legitimate concerns about the viability of the multinational force plan, especially given the recent Kenyan court ruling barring the participation of Kenyan police. Biden administration must explain its contingency plan if Kenya can no longer help,” Diaz-Balart said.
“I’m not ruling out a multinational force, but at this point, more information is simply needed, as well as a greater explanation of the financial burden that the Biden administration wishes to assume. The instability in Haiti is having repercussions beyond its borders to neighboring countries like the Dominican Republic, and of course the United States,” he said.
The American funding is seen in Nairobi as an initial investment that should lead to additional contributions from partners around the world. This situation in the American Congress does not help the American administration which must deal with this financing problem.
By: Daniel Zéphyr with Miami Hérald
