logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2024
13m 6s

Why is Kenya sending troops to Haiti?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

Haiti is battling a wave of gang violence. On Sunday armed gangs stormed a major prison in the capital Port-au-Prince. At least 12 people were killed and around 4,000 inmates escaped. The United Nations says the country has reached a critical point, with more than 1,100 people killed, injured or kidnapped in January alone.

Kenya’s government has offered to help. It’s agreed to lead a multinational security force in the country and will deploy 1,000 troops to Haiti. Pascal Fletcher, a journalist with BBC Monitoring, explains the roots of Haiti’s instability.

We also hear from women across the Haitian diaspora including Bertrhude Albert, Monique Clesca, Gessica Geneus and Dr. Tatiana Behrmann.

This episode contains discussion about sexual assault, kidnapping and violence. Details of organisations offering information and support with these issues are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Beverly Ochieng Producers: Benita Barden and William Lee Adams Editors: Simon Peeks

Up next
Today
Should you wear earplugs to concerts?
According to the National Institute of Health, long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 dBA can cause hearing loss. The noise levels at a big concert or live music gig typically fall between 90 and 120 dBA, according to the British Academy of Audiology. These levels dep ... Show More
11m 49s
Yesterday
Are maybelaterships the new situationships?
You've heard of a situationship. Now meet its chaotic cousin: the ‘maybelatership'. It's when someone says they want a relationship... just not right now. So are more people putting commitment on hold? How do you know if you're in a ‘maybelatership’? And what does this latest dat ... Show More
10m 34s
Jul 8
China says no to AI boyfriends
AI has evolved. It’s not just typing a message or speaking to robot-like voice similar to Siri anymore. Now there are apps where you can design AI companions - digital characters customised to act, look and sound however you want. Some users have made AI boyfriends or AI life ass ... Show More
11m 13s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2023
Can Kenya solve Haiti’s gang violence?
Over the last few years there’s been a surge in violence between police and gangs in Haiti, with an eyewatering 80 percent of the capital Port-au-Prince under the control of gangs. The government has been calling for international intervention but its neighbours including the US ... Show More
19m 57s
Dec 2022
Why Haiti Asked for an Intervention
<p><i>This episode contains descriptions of distressing scenes. </i></p><p>Haiti is unraveling. Gangs control much of the capital, thousands have been displaced and hundreds more are dead.</p><p>In recent weeks, the government has taken the extraordinary step of asking for an arm ... Show More
31m 40s
May 2024
Inside Haiti's capital, ripped apart by gangs
For months, Haiti has been ravaged by out-of-control gangs, especially in the country’s capital of Port-au-Prince. But international forces are expected to arrive any day now, led by Kenya. Getting in and out of Haiti is dangerous — and for many, impossible. But CBC’s Paul Hunter ... Show More
21m 14s
Jul 2024
Another Take: Can foreign intervention save Haiti from gang violence?
Every Saturday, we revisit a story from the archives. This originally aired on October 4, 2023. None of the dates, titles, or other references from that time have been changed. Since last year, Haiti’s government has been asking the international community for help to restore pea ... Show More
21m 53s
Oct 2021
What will it take to help Haiti?
A gang in Haiti has kidnapped 17 American and Canadian missionaries, and is now demanding millions in ransom – the latest example of the increasing chaos in one of the world's poorest countries. So, will international aid be needed, again, to return it to stability?  Join host Mo ... Show More
21m 40s
Mar 2024
How gangs took over Haiti
Haiti’s latest crisis is being driven by something new: The country’s gangs have united, and they are demanding political power. Financial Times journalist Joe Daniels and peace activist Louis-Henri Mars explain. This episode was produced by Miles Bryan, edited by Matt Collette, ... Show More
25m 16s