The United States Department of Defense says it is doubling its support for a multinational security team for violence-plagued Haiti from US$100 million to US$200 million.

The announcement was made on Monday by the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, following a high-level meeting hosted by Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston to discuss the deteriorating situation in Haiti where gangs have taken over large parts of the country.

The meeting, which was chaired by the current chairman of the Caricom Community (Caricom), Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali, also saw Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joining via an online platform. Several other Caricom countries, as well as Mexico and France, were also represented.

Blinken, speaking after the hours-long meeting, said the political crisis in Haiti, which is compounded by escalating violence and unrest, is creating an untenable situation for the Haitian people.

“We all know that urgent action is needed on both the political and security tracks to help move things in a better direction, to help do right by the people of Haiti,” he said.

The top US diplomat said the United States was in support of the joint proposal that was developed by Caricom and Haitian stakeholders to expedite a political transition in the French-speaking Caribbean territory. He assured that the United States supports the plan to create a “broad-based, inclusive, independent presidential college that would, in particular…take concrete steps to meet the immediate needs of the Haitian people and …enable the swift deployment of a multinational security support mission”.

Additionally, Blinken said that a reinforced Haitian National Police would create the security conditions that are necessary to hold free and fair elections, allow humanitarian assistance to get to people who need it and get Haiti back on a path to economic opportunity and growth.

Blinken also noted that with the deterioration in the security situation in recent days with marauding gangs attacking police stations and the airport in the Haitian capital Port au Prince, the deployment of a multinational force was even more important than ever.

“Given this increasingly urgent need, I’m announcing today that the United States Department of Defense is doubling its approved support for the mission from US$100 million to US$200 million,” he said, while pointing out that this brings the total support of the United States to US$300 million.

He also announced additional humanitarian assistance of US$33 million to further support the health and food security needs of Haitians.

Blinken also emphasised that “Only the Haitian people can; only the Haitian people should determine their own future, not anyone else”. Nonetheless, he said external partners can help to restore a foundation of security.

“We can address the tremendous suffering that innocent Haitians are experiencing and help create the conditions that will enable them to have that opportunity,” he said.