U.S. Has Not Paused All Haiti Security Mission Funds!

CNN international correspondent Larry Madowo has shed more light on the U.S. government’s decision to pause funding for the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti.

On Thursday morning, Madowo clarified via social media that not all U.S. support for the mission had been halted. According to a U.S. State Department spokesperson, some financial aid and resources had already been provided.

Additionally, Madowo confirmed that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had approved a shipment of armored equipment and granted waivers totaling $40.7 million (Ksh5.2 billion) for the MSS and the Haitian National Police (HNP) on Wednesday.

“Breaking: The U.S. has not completely frozen funding for the Kenya-led MSS mission in Haiti,” Madowo reported. “A State Department spokesperson confirmed that Secretary Rubio authorized $40.7 million in waivers and delivered armored equipment to the MSS and HNP yesterday.”

However, he noted that the United Nations had announced a hold on $13.3 million (Ksh1.7 billion) in U.S. contributions to the UN Trust Fund for the mission. A U.S. official explained that the Trust Fund, which received $15 million (Ksh1.9 billion) from Washington, accounts for less than three percent of the total U.S. financial commitment to the MSS.

This update comes after initial reports suggested that President Donald Trump had entirely frozen U.S. funding for the Kenya-led security mission.

On Wednesday, February 5, it was reported that the U.S. had temporarily halted the disbursement of $15 million (Ksh1.9 billion) for 90 days while reassessing its stance.

Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei reassured that the move would not significantly affect the mission’s financing. He pointed out that the UN Trust Fund receives contributions from multiple countries, including Canada, France, Turkey, Spain, Italy, and Algeria, with a total pledge of $110.3 million (Ksh14.2 billion) expected by the end of 2024.

“Although the $15 million unallocated U.S. contribution has been paused as per a presidential directive, the Trust Fund has sufficient resources to sustain the mission until September 2025,” Sing’oei stated.

Later, the MSS mission released a statement affirming that it remains a key priority for the U.S. government. The pause in funding, it explained, is part of the standard transition process between presidential administrations.

“The MSS mission in Haiti remains a top priority for the U.S. government. Government transitions often require structural adjustments, and as part of an ongoing 90-day review of development assistance, the mission continues uninterrupted with all necessary support in place,” the statement read.