Listen to This Article Enhance your reading experience by listening to this article.

Two more countries have added troops to the Kenyan-led mission in Haiti to bolster the number of foreign security personnel in the Caribbean nation plagued by gang violence.

In a statement by the head of the mission Godfrey Otunge, Guatemala added another 75 soldiers to their numbers, ramping their tally to 150.

“On Friday, January 3, and Saturday, January 4, 2024, Haiti witnessed a significant moment as long-awaited troops from Guatemala and El Salvador landed at Toussaint Louverture International Airport aboard U.S. Army aircraft. These new contingents are joining Kenya, Jamaica, Bahamas and Belize who are already on the theatre,” the statement read in part.

Countries in the mission

Adding: “Prime Minister Alix Didier expressed his gratitude to all the contributing countries, reaffirming the Haitian government’s trust in the MSS and its commitment to providing everything necessary for the mission’s success. He specifically thanked the governments of Guatemala and El Salvador for their unwavering support and solidarity with Haiti.”

The countries represented so far in the mission include Kenya with 396 officers, El-Salvador, Bangladesh, Belize, The Bahamas and Jamaica.

The countries arrived in the country to stabilize Haiti after gang violence rocked the country, displacing 500,000 people and exposing another 5 million people to starvation and contagious diseases.

According to Otunge, the addition of new troops would greatly improve the mission’s operations and its capabilities to counter the gangs.

“While some questioned the role of female soldiers, many were unaware that these highly trained combatants are prepared to confront gangs directly and help bring peace to Haiti. The Guatemalan and Salvadoran troops, equipped with diverse skills, knowledge, and expertise, will significantly enhance the MSS mission’s operational effectiveness,” Otunge added.

Language training

On December 17, 2024, security officers in Kenya destined for Haiti were engaged in a language training exercise in readiness for their deployment into the 12,000-kilometre journey to the Caribbean nation.

The French government, through the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, initiated pre-deployment French classes to prepare the Multinational Security Support (MSS) personnel.

So far, more than 1,000 police and military personnel have been trained in French and Creole, not only in Kenya but also in Guatemala, Belize, Barbados, and Antigua and Barbuda. This initiative, funded by France through the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie and the Institut Français, involved an investment of Sh260 million.