Kenya’s new Consul General to Haiti,
Noor Gabow, officially took up his post on Tuesday, July 15, after presenting
his credentials to Haiti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship, Jean-Victor
Harvel Jean-Baptiste.
His arrival marks a significant
diplomatic step as Kenya leads the ongoing multinational security mission in a
country battling near-total breakdown of law and order.
Gabow, a seasoned police officer and
former Deputy Inspector General of the Administration Police, assumes office at
a time when Haiti is grappling with relentless gang violence.
Armed groups have continued to
expand their control over Port-au-Prince, with the UN warning of a possible
“total collapse” of state authority in the capital.
Despite the grim conditions, Gabow’s
appointment has been met with optimism by the Kenyan security team already
deployed in Haiti.
Officers on the ground believe his presence
will enhance coordination and could help unlock more logistical support to
strengthen their operations.
Kenya’s police contingent arrived in
Haiti on June 25, 2025, as part of the UN-backed Multinational Security Support
(MSS) mission.
The officers have since secured
strategic installations including a major hospital, key highways, and the
country’s main port, all previously under gang control.
The MSS mandate is expected to be
reviewed by the UN Security Council in the coming weeks, with early recommendations
supporting a one-year extension.
Gabow is not new to international
assignments. Between 1996 and 2008, he served in UN peacekeeping missions in
the former Yugoslavia and Sierra Leone, and later worked as a UN police adviser
to the African Union in Ethiopia.
He also spent time at the UN
headquarters in New York overseeing police operations in West Africa.
As Consul General, Gabow will not
only manage Kenya’s diplomatic ties with Haiti, but also coordinate broader
relations across the Caribbean.
He is expected to work with regional states to
push for a united front in restoring Haiti’s stability, a move that may bring
additional support for the MSS mission.
During the credential ceremony in
Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s Foreign Minister welcomed Gabow and thanked Kenya for
its leadership role in supporting the Haitian National Police.
In a private meeting afterward,
Gabow conveyed greetings from President William Ruto and pledged to deepen
cooperation between the two nations.
His task is far from easy. Haiti’s
transitional government is fragile, and elections are not expected until 2026.
But with his background in
peacekeeping and police reform, Gabow steps into a role where both diplomacy
and experience on the ground will be vital.
