Jamaica to Send Troops and Police to Assist in Haiti’s Gang Battle

The Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, announced on Tuesday that the country would deploy 24 soldiers and police officers to Haiti this week. This move aims to reinforce a Kenyan-led mission backed by the United Nations focused on combating escalating gang violence in the nation.

The contingent consisting of 20 soldiers and 4 police officers is expected to arrive on Thursday. They will join approximately 400 Kenyan police personnel who had entered Haiti earlier this year, collaborating with local Haitian police and military forces, according to Vice Admiral Antonette Wemyss-Gorman, who leads Jamaica’s military defense staff.

Holness noted that the Jamaican forces would mainly provide command, planning, and logistics support to the mission. Jamaica had previously committed to sending a total of 170 soldiers and 30 police officers but recognized that deploying all at once was not feasible.

“It’s not practical,” Holness stated, emphasizing the need for suitable facilities and a structured command system before a larger number could be deployed. He expressed a desire for the operation to be “very successful.”

The announcement of the small initial deployment came as a surprise to many, particularly in light of recent warnings from the U.S. government regarding financial and personnel shortages affecting the Kenyan-led mission. The ongoing challenges have prompted discussions among UN and Ecuador representatives about drafting a resolution aimed at initiating plans for a potential United Nations peacekeeping operation to succeed the existing mission.

This proposition would require approval from the UN Security Council, and many experts express skepticism that it would receive the necessary backing.

In a statement on Monday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres remarked that it seems “very strange” that resources are not currently available to support the mission led by Kenya. “I think countries should assume responsibilities and should come and provide the necessary funding,” he added.

While Holness refrained from directly addressing the potential for a UN peacekeeping mission, he acknowledged that the current initiative could evolve into a prolonged process. He cautioned that this mission might not be the definitive solution to the pressing issues facing Haiti, where gangs control roughly 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The situation has deteriorated further, with the UN reporting over 3,200 fatalities from January to May alone due to the violence, which has also rendered more than half a million individuals homeless in recent years.

“Haiti exemplifies what may occur if states and governments fail to take the challenges seriously and to implement the necessary measures and resources to regain control,” Holness remarked.

The overall mission is projected to incorporate a total of 2,500 personnel, with additional support pledged from countries like the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, and Chad. However, it remains unclear when these additional forces will be deployed.

Financially, the mission is expected to demand around $600 million annually, yet the UN has only secured $68 million of the $85 million pledged thus far. Currently, the majority of funding has come from the United States and Canada.