U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said yesterday in Kingston, Jamaica that the United States would contribute an additional US$100 million to a United Nations-backed multinational security force intended to help Haitian police fight gangs and US$33 million in humanitarian aid.
Reuters said that the commitment brings the proposed U.S. contribution to the force to US$300 million, though it was unclear how long it will take this funding to be approved by lawmakers and transferred.
As of yesterday, less than US$11 million had been deposited into the U.N.’s dedicated trust fund, a spokesperson for the world body said, with no new additions since March 3 when Haiti declared a state of emergency due to the worsening violence from gangs seeking to topple the government, Reuters said.
“We all know that urgent action is needed on both the political and security tracks,” said Blinken while on a hastily arranged visit to Jamaica, adding that Haiti faces an “untenable situation.”