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As Haiti worsens, Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris will press Prime Minister Philip Davis and Caricom to commit to a multinational force to assist the troubled Caribbean nation regain a level of stability.

The big picture

Vice President Harris is the highest ranking US official to visit the Bahamas since Independence.

Daily life in Haiti is marked by widespread violence, with deep political, social and economic stability and its problems seems unsolvable as Haitians seek refuge in other Caribbean countries, the United States and Canada.

It is hoped the multinational force could support the country’s national police in the capital Port-au-Prince where violence is rife and gangs have taken over airports and ports of entry.

Why it matters

The Biden’s adminstration has attempted discussions for a multinational force to be deployed to Haiti since October, opting for Canada to lead the way, put plans faltered because neither reached an agreement on who whould take the lead.

“The worsening security situation requires an international response, which is why the United States strongly support the deployment of a multinational force to Haiti, which the Vice President will make clear to the Caribbean leader,” officials told Miami Herald on Harris’ visit.

“In Nassau, the vice president will reiterate our administration’s support for a multinational force in Haiti,” a senior administration official said. “We’ve made it clear that we believe the security and humanitarian situation in Haiti is worsening and the situation on the ground will not improve without armed security assistance from international partners.

“Any decisions about such a security force would be done in consultation with the Haitian government as well as the UN. Those discussions are still ongoing,” the official added. “We will remain in coordination with partners on next steps to address urgent security needs.”

US Officials said she will announce $50 million in humanitarian aid to Haiti.

Bahamian Kemba Eneas Walden was appointed a top post in the Biden administration serving as principal deputy national cyber director.

Walden, a former assistant general counsel at Microsoft where she was responsible for launching and leading its Digital Crimes Unit’s Ransomware Program, joins three new hires in the administration.

Walden is also the daughter of veteran nephrologist Dr Judson Frazier Eneas who became the Bahamas’ fifth COVID-19 related death.

The White House announced on Tuesday that it is expanding its cyber policy office.

“As we continue to build this new office, the additions of Kemba, Neal, and Rob will accelerate our efforts to protect Americans in cyberspace,” said National Cyber Director Chris Inglis. “Each of these leaders brings impressive experience in cybersecurity policymaking to our team, and their diverse perspectives will be invaluable as we strengthen our collective defense.”

• Principal Deputy National Cyber Director Kemba Eneas Walden is an attorney with extensive experience in government and the private sector.
• She comes to ONCD from Microsoft, where she served as an Assistant General Counsel in Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) responsible for launching and leading DCU’s Ransomware Program.
• Prior to joining Microsoft, Kemba spent a decade in government service at the Department of Homeland Security, most recently at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
• She was appointed to the Cyber Safety Review Board and holds a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center, Master’s in Public Affairs from Princeton University, and B.A. from Hampton University.

Why it matters

Walden represents diversity in the Biden administration and will become one of the highest-ranking black officials since the industry grapples with a lack of diversity.

The big picture

The United States is facing increasing criminal and state-backed cyber threats to its infrastructure. And officials continue to be wary of potential Russian hacking threats to US organizations stemming from the war in Ukraine.