In a bid to tackle the escalating gang violence in Haiti, the first contingent of U.N.-backed foreign police, comprised of around 200 officers from Kenya, has arrived in the troubled Caribbean country. The Kenyan police officers landed in the capital city of Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, marking the fourth major foreign military intervention in Haiti.

The main international airport in Port-au-Prince, which had been closed for nearly three months due to gang violence, reopened in May. Haiti had urgently requested assistance from the international community to curb the surge in gang violence that has left over 580,000 people homeless and claimed the lives of several thousand individuals.

The specific assignment of the Kenyan police officers in Haiti is yet to be disclosed, but they are expected to confront violent gangs that currently control 80% of the capital city. These gangs have been pillaging neighborhoods and seeking to expand their territorial influence. The previous U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti, which was active from 2004 to 2017, faced allegations of sexual assault and was also responsible for introducing cholera, resulting in the deaths of nearly 10,000 people.

Romain Le Cour, a senior expert at Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, stressed the need for transparency in the mission's objectives and operational protocols. Questions regarding the nature of the mission, whether it will be static or mobile, and its strategy in dealing with the gangs remain unanswered.

Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille expressed gratitude towards Kenya for their solidarity and acknowledged the dire situation in the country, with rampant gang violence causing destruction and making Haiti "unlivable." Conille affirmed that efforts would be made gradually to reclaim control of the country.

Amid optimistic hopes for collaboration between the Kenyan police and local authorities, there are cautionary voices in Haiti. Some critics argue that if the foreign force had been deployed earlier, the coordinated gang attacks that began on February 29 could have been prevented. However, legal challenges in Kenya and political unrest in Haiti led to delays in the arrival of the multinational police mission.

Addressing the persistent gang violence, experts emphasize that it cannot be fully resolved without addressing the socioeconomic factors that contribute to the existence of gangs in the deeply impoverished country. The deployment of the Kenyan police is part of a larger multinational effort, which will also involve police contingents from the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Chad, and Jamaica. The mission is authorized by the U.N. Security Council and is estimated to cost approximately $600 million annually.

While gang violence has reportedly decreased since its peak earlier this year, the security situation in Haiti remains alarming. In the first three months of this year alone, more than 2,500 people were killed or injured, marking a significant increase compared to the same period last year.

As the Kenyan police officers begin their deployment in Haiti, the expectations are high for them to restore public order and security. However, the ultimate success of the mission will depend on addressing the root causes of gang violence and implementing long-term solutions that promote stability and safety for the Haitian people.