Bahamas became the fourth country to join the multi-national security support mission in Haiti, ramping up the numbers for the UN-backed team whose numbers are less than a quarter of the projected contingent of 2,500.
“On Friday, October 18, 2024, the MSS family grew by one more member when the Bahamas plane landed at Louverture Toussaint International Airport carrying an advance team of six Royal Bahamas Defence Forces (RBDF),” a statement from the mission noted.
Jamaican commander Kevron Henry welcomed the Bahamas contingent, where he expressed optimism about more contributing countries deploying to MSS soon. He reiterated MSS’s commitment to ensuring that the gangs are defeated for the good people of Haiti to enjoy peace.
Bahamas Charge D’affaires Julian Smith who accompanied the team indicated that the Bahamas was joining the bigger family of MSS, where they will provide operational support and build the capacity of the Haitian National Police (HNP) to counter gangs.
The advance team of the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) personnel has trained with the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Joint Task Force (JTF), hence expected to synergize the MSS contingents from Kenya, Jamaica, and Belize.
While the Bahamas only availed six soldiers, the country stated that the remaining 150 soldiers would be availed in the coming months.
Role in Haiti
The Bahamian troops are set to spearhead port security by ensuring the safety and functionality of strategic ports in Haiti, facilitating humanitarian aid, economic development, and political stability.
Additionally, the Bahamas will spearhead the prevention of illegal migration by implementing measures to prevent illegal migration, ensuring the safety of Haitian citizens, and preventing human trafficking and unsafe sea journeys.
On September 12, 2024, Jamaica availed four police officers and 20 soldiers to bolster the efforts of the mission in the troubled Caribbean nation against a pledge of 170 soldiers and 30 police officers.
Belize, on the other hand, provided only two senior military officers to support the mission.
Kenya sent its first contingent of police officers to Haiti which is more than 12,000 kilometres away in late June and is currently having at least 400 police officers patrolling Haitian streets.
During his detour to the nation on his trip to the United States in September 2024, President William Ruto said that an additional 600 police officers would soon join the mission.
“Our next batch, an additional 600, is undergoing redeployment training. We will be mission-ready in a few weeks’ time and look forward to the requisite support to enable their deployment,” Ruto said.
