CARICOM deploys troops to Haiti

KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – A 21-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Joint Task Force-Haiti (CJTF-H) relief team is being deployed to Haiti in support of the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission.

The French-speaking CARICOM nation is currently facing a severe security and political crisis.

The United Nations Security Council passed a resolution in 2023 authorising the MSS mission, which aims to combat gang violence and restore stability in Haiti. Criminal gangs continue efforts to seize control of the capital, Port-au-Prince, launching violent attacks that have resulted in the deaths of women, children, and others.

The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) stated that the relief team includes 18 members of the JDF and three members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). They will continue the work of the CJTF-H advance team, which was deployed to Haiti in September 2024.

The JDF noted that the advance team is now returning home following the successful completion of its mission under the MSS.

During its deployment, the Jamaican contingent played both strategic and operational roles in supporting the MSS mandate.

One of its key contributions was the provision of essential intelligence and operational planning support to the MSS Headquarters. This helped shape mission strategy and enabled coordinated security operations across Haiti.

“Our team performed with professionalism, courage, and unwavering discipline in one of the most challenging operating environments in the region,” said Colonel Kevron Henry, who led the team.

“The threat level in Haiti is high and constant, but our personnel remained motivated and undaunted. They contributed meaningfully to the development and execution of the MSS mission and represented Jamaica with distinction.”

He further described the environment as “hostile,” noting that operational teams led by Kenyan forces regularly faced heavy gunfire and required significant logistical support.

“The JDF contingent was vital to this function, as we assisted in the training of other deployed personnel and in maintaining Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), a critical asset to the MSS’s operational capabilities,” Colonel Henry added.

The JDF said the rotation of personnel reflects Jamaica’s long-term commitment to the MSS mission.

In addition to Jamaica, other CARICOM nations that have pledged support to the MSS mission include The Bahamas, Guyana, Barbados, and Antigua and Barbuda.

Currently, the MSS mission in Haiti has 857 personnel deployed. While it was originally expected to include 2,500 members, the mission has faced challenges in securing contributions from other countries.