“THERE’S no room for failure,” the head of the US-backed multinational force tasked with curbing gang violence in Haiti said on Monday, adding that the UN-backed police mission was committed to ensuring that democratic elections can take place.

Kenyan officer Godfrey Otunge was speaking during a nationally broadcast news conference, giving his first public remarks as the leader of the force that is acting as the face of the US-financed intervention.

The US has pledged over $300 million (around £234m) in support of the Kenyan-led mission.