Chad to Deploy 1,500 Troops to Haiti as UN-Backed Security Force Expands

Chad to Deploy 1,500 Troops to Haiti as UN-Backed Security Force Expands

Mintesinot Nigussie

Chad plans to send 1,500 personnel to Haiti as part of a United Nations-backed multinational security mission aimed at supporting local police in combating armed gangs, according to a presidential letter to lawmakers. The deployment will consist of two battalions of 750 personnel each, to be sent for a 12-month period starting in April.

Chad has already deployed about 400 personnel to Haiti, some of whom arrived on April 1 alongside a newly appointed leader of the restructured mission. The Chadian contribution forms part of a broader effort to build a 5,500-strong security force by the summer, although the mission has so far fallen short of earlier targets.

Around 1,000 personnel are currently deployed in Haiti, including Kenyan police officers who make up the bulk of the force, along with smaller contingents from several Central American and Caribbean countries. The multinational mission, initially designed as a volunteer-based deployment, had aimed for 2,500 personnel but reached only about 40 percent of that level.

The target was later expanded to 5,500 in October, even as some participating troops have begun to withdraw. Officials from Mongolia and Sri Lanka met Haitian police last week to discuss possible contributions, though no troop numbers were confirmed.

The United Nations Security Council first authorised support for a multinational force in October 2023 to assist Haitian police in countering armed gangs. However, the mission has faced funding constraints, limited deployment, and modest operational results.

Security conditions in Haiti have continued to deteriorate. More than 1.4 million people have been displaced by violence, up from 133,600 previously, while thousands have been killed as gangs expand beyond the capital region.

Overall, Chad’s decision to deploy 1,500 troops to Haiti signals growing international commitment to the UN-backed security mission and offers hope for improved stability in the country.