The former Haitian Prime Minister has been appointed United Nations Resident Coordinator in Kenya. Garry Conille's appointment was announced on Wednesday, with immediate effect.
In this position, the UN hopes to rely on more than 20 years of experience in the fields of international development, humanitarian affairs and public administration.
The Haitian diplomat recently held the position of Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), where he championed initiatives to improve children's well-being, strengthen health systems and combat systemic inequalities.
Mr. Conille's second term as Prime Minister of his country, lasting six months in 2024, coincided with the first deployments of Kenyan troops as part of a UN-backed force - tasked with helping Haitian police restore security amid a violent conflict with armed gangs.
Kenya led the initial UN-backed force, which has since been restructured as the Gang Suppression Force. Authorities in the neighboring Dominican Republic have stated that Kenyan forces should withdraw gradually as they are replaced by other nations.
Fewer than 1,000 soldiers – mostly Kenyans – were in Haiti at the beginning of this year. The force aims to reach approximately 5,500 troops by summer, but few countries have pledged to contribute.
Meanwhile, the gangs have formed vast alliances that have consolidated their control over most of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and extended their grip over large rural and central areas of Haiti.
Conille was replaced by Alix Didier Fils-Aime, who in February obtained full executive powers from the council then in power in the country.
Conille also held the position of Prime Minister for four months in the early 2010s. In both cases, his term ended amid internal political struggles among the country's leaders.
He has worked for the United Nations since 1999, where he has held various positions, including that of UNICEF Regional Director.
