Chad to send 1500 troops to Haiti in UN-backed security mission

The Republic of Chad has announced its commitment to dispatch 1,500 soldiers to Haiti as part of a United Nations-backed multinational security force tasked with combating gang violence in the Caribbean nation.

In an official communication read to the National Assembly, Chadian President Mahamat Déby Itno outlined plans to deploy two battalions, each consisting of 750 personnel, starting this month. The mission, initially approved for a one-year duration at the request of the UN, aims to restore stability in a country grappling with escalating gang-related turmoil.

The President highlighted that a preliminary contingent of 400 troops has already been deployed as part of this initiative, underscoring Chad’s dedication to global peacekeeping efforts and the professionalism of its armed forces.

This announcement follows the UN Security Council’s decision last year to expand the Multi-National Security Support Mission in Haiti, led by Kenya, from 2,500 to 5,500 personnel. The enhanced mandate now includes the authority to apprehend suspected gang members—a power the initial force lacked due to logistical and funding constraints.

The previous mission, launched in 2023 and primarily composed of Kenyan police officers, faced significant challenges, including insufficient personnel and financial resources. These obstacles hindered its effectiveness in curbing the influence of armed gangs, which currently control approximately 90% of Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, as well as large swathes of the central region.

Gang violence has reached alarming levels, culminating in the 2021 assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moïse at his private residence. Recent reports indicate that at least 30 individuals were killed and dozens more reported missing following a brutal attack by the Gran Grif gang in Petite-Rivière de l’Artibonite, a central Haitian town, last month.