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Africa Live this week: 19-25 February 2024 - BBC News Africa Live this week: 19-25 February 2024 - BBC News
(32 minutes later)
Grant Ferrett
BBC World Service
Benin has offered to contribute 2,000 troops to a UN-approved Kenyan-led multinational security force that will be deployed to fight gang violence in Haiti. Senegal's President, Macky Sall has proposed an amnesty for those convicted in connection with political protests in the past three years.
The announcement was made on Monday during a press briefing held in Georgetown, Guyana, by the United States Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. He said this would make it possible "to pacify the political arena and further strengthen our national cohesion".
Ms Thomas-Greenfield said she had discussed with Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry and other partners about "the urgency of deploying" the force. He was speaking at talks which have been largely boycotted by the opposition and civic groups.
"This mission is key to helping the Haitian National Police restore peace and security, enabling free and fair elections, and alleviating the humanitarian crisis," Ms Thomas-Greenfield said. The beleaguered president has been widely criticised for postponing elections which were due to take place on Sunday, without setting a new date.
The deployment was to happen this month, but it was delayed after it was blocked by a Kenyan court in January. The Constitutional Court has ruled that the vote should be held as soon as possible.
The court argued that the government lacked authority to send police officers outside Kenya. The suggested amnesty bill - which Mr Sall says will be put to parliament on Wednesday - has already been condemned by his opponents.
But shortly after the ruling, Kenya's President William Ruto assured that Kenya would still send the police officers after completing paperwork to satisfy the court's demands. They say the aim is to ensure that members of the security forces, and President Sall himself, cannot be prosecuted for the deaths of protesters.
Gang violence has dramatically worsened in the Caribbean country.
According to a UN report published last month, Haitian gangs killed 8,400 people last year, an increase of 122% from 2022.
Read more:
Haiti crisis: Can Kenyan
police officers defeat the gangs?
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