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Kenya and Haiti have signed joint agreements to advance a plan for deploying 1,000 Kenyan police officers to Haiti, aiming to quash the escalating gang violence plaguing the Caribbean nation. This development follows a setback when Kenya’s High Court deemed the original deployment plan unconstitutional due to the absence of mutual agreements between the two nations.

President William Ruto of Kenya and Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry were present for the signing, signaling a renewed effort to implement the U.N.-sanctioned mission despite legal hurdles.

The court’s January ruling, which has impacted the Kenyan National Police Service’s restriction from being deployed internationally, casts uncertainty on the new agreements’ ability to override this decision. Opposition politician Ekuru Aukot, responsible for the petition against the deployment, argued on X that Prime Minister Henry lacks the constitutional authority to enter agreements with Kenya.

Amid these challenges, Henry emphasized the urgent need for elections in Haiti to establish stability and attract investment, stating, “We need elections in order to stabilize the country. We need democratic governance in order to have people come and invest in Haiti.”

This comes as the recent surge in gang activity, including attacks on Haiti’s main airport and police stations, has highlighted the dire security situation. Gang leader Jimmy Chérizier, known as “Barbecue,” declared his intention to liberate Haiti.