After nearly three months of closure due to unprecedented gang violence, Haiti’s Port-au-Prince airport has finally reopened. The closure had effectively sealed off the capital city from the rest of the world.
Sunrise Airways, a small regional carrier, has already resumed flights, and it is expected that other international airlines like JetBlue and American Airlines will also start operating again in the coming weeks.
According to two Haitian officials who were briefed on the plans, the authorities determined that the only safe way to reopen the airport was to demolish hundreds of homes in its immediate vicinity.
According to officials, the individuals residing in the affected homes will receive compensation for their displacement.
In recent weeks, American military flights have made nearly twenty landings to transport aid and supplies, primarily aimed at supporting the forthcoming international security mission.
Kenyan Police Heading to Haiti Soon
According to a senior Kenyan government official, a group of Kenyan police officers who have volunteered to join the UN-backed international security force will be arriving in Haiti in the near future. They are expected to arrive as early as this week.
The number of officers is expected to reach around 1,000, including hundreds from various other countries. A significant portion of these officers is scheduled to join the force in the later part of the summer.
Kenyan President Ruto’s state visit to Washington, D.C. coincides with the deployment.
