US Chargé d'Affaires Henry Wooster Departs Haiti After Appointment as US Ambassador to Kenya

Henry Wooster, the United States Chargé d'Affaires to Haiti since June 2025, is departing the country following his appointment as US Ambassador to Kenya. Wooster's departure comes during the first week of the Gang Suppression Force's full operational phase — a critical juncture for Haiti's security transition. As the senior US diplomatic officer in Port-au-Prince, Wooster managed the US relationship with Haiti's transitional government, coordinated Washington's financial contributions to the MSS and GSF missions (the US is the single largest donor), and represented the US position on the Supreme Court TPS case directly affecting approximately 350,000 Haitian TPS holders. His posting as Ambassador to Kenya is notable: Kenya served as the lead nation of the Multinational Security Support mission from June 2024 through April 28, 2026, and the appointment signals continued US diplomatic investment in the bilateral relationship that underpinned the Haiti security mission. A new US envoy to Haiti is expected in the coming weeks. The transition occurs as Haiti faces simultaneous challenges: the elections timeline remains uncertain after PM Fils-Aimé's May 12 declaration that security conditions preclude August 30 elections, the SCOTUS TPS ruling is expected in late June or early July, and the GSF advance force remains at ~15% of its authorized strength.