ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - March 4, 2024

ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - March 4, 2024

ZeroFox physical security experts collect, curate, and analyze information derived from open and proprietary sources for comprehensive context of the circumstances surrounding global events. Here is today’s daily roundup of major developments.

Brief Highlights

• Kenya and Haiti Sign Agreement to Deploy Police Officers to Haiti
• China and Kazakhstan Open New Trading Hub in Xi’an
• Bulgaria Halts Russian Oil Imports

Kenya and Haiti Sign Agreement to Deploy Police Officers to Haiti

Kenya and Haiti have signed an agreement to deploy 1,000 police officers to Haiti to curb gang violence. Kenya's High Court ruled against the deployment, claiming that both nations must ratify an agreement before Kenya can legally deploy security personnel to another country. Haiti has experienced a wave of gang violence that has destabilized the country, including in the Capital Port-Au-Prince which remains controlled by rival gangs. Haitian officials appealed to the United Nations for aid in 2022 to request additional security to stabilize the country. Violence has continued throughout the country with more than 8,400 deaths, injuries, and kidnappings in 2023.

China and Kazakhstan Open New Trading Hub in Xi’an

The Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) national railway company and Chinese tech giant Huawei have opened a new logistics terminal in the Chinese city of Xi'an. Xi’an is a critical dry port in China and accounts for up to 40 percent of the total volume of container trains between China and the European Union (EU). The new facility will connect the Chinese city with Kazakhstan, opening access to new markets for Kazakh exporters and significantly reducing cargo delivery time while strengthening Kazakhstan’s status as a reliable transit hub in Eurasia. The project is part of the global Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Kazakhstan is one of the leading countries providing Russia with sanctioned goods. Expanding trade between China and Kazakhstan will likely increase this form of trade.

Bulgaria Halts Russian Oil Imports

Bulgaria has officially halted oil imports from Russia. Bulgaria's parliament had previously voted in December 2023 to stop all imports of Russian crude this month. Bulgaria has been historically reliant on Russian oil but plans to replace Russian imports with supplies from Kazakhstan, Iraq, and Tunisia.