PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) – Haitian President pro tempore and Coordinator of the Transition Council, Laurent Saint-Cyr, has welcomed the latest batch of Kenyan troops who will reinforce the Gang Repression Force (FRG) in Haiti.

The fifth contingent of 230 specialised police officers was welcomed on the tarmac of Toussaint Louverture International Airport, and accompanied by Kenya’s Deputy National Security Advisor, Joseph Boinett, and Principal Deputy Inspector General James Kamau.

The GSF leadership, headed by Commander Godfrey Otunge; the Commander of the Armed Forces of Haiti, Lieutenant General Derby Guerrier; the Acting Director General of the Haitian National Police (PNH), Vladimir Paraison; members of the High Command; and members of the diplomatic corps, including Ambassadors André François Giroux (Canada) and Antoine Michon (France) and the Kenyan Consul General in Haiti, Noor Gabow were also present to greet the troops on their arrival on Monday.

The GSF, which as approved by the United Nations (UN) Security Council in September, is expected to eventually reach a force of 5,500 police and military personnel. The new force aims to dismantle gangs, secure humanitarian access, and build Haitian capacity, with a mandate for arrests and intelligence-led operations, signalling renewed international commitment to stabilising the country, where criminal gangs have been seeking to overthrow the interim government since the July 7, 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moise.

The arrival of the new troops from Kenya coincided with the departure of 100 Kenyan police officers, at the end of their mission, and President Saint-Cyr commended the departing officers for their service, assuring the remaining troops of harmonious collaboration between the Haitian authorities, the Armed Forces of Haiti and the PNH.

The GSF Commander also sought to assure that the Gang Suppression Force will work in Haiti’s best interests, adding that they had learned from the experience of the MSS to make the new force more effective.

For his part, Boinett conveyed the greetings of Kenyan President William Ruto to the Haitian leaders and people, reaffirming that “Kenya will stand with the Haitian people to guarantee peace and stability during this transitional phase”.

As the new troops joined their counterparts from Guatemala, El Salvador, the Bahamas, and Jamaica, Commander Otunge welcomed them to their missions, emphasising that their arrival comes at a critical time, following the expansion of the GSF’s mandate.

He said they will play a vital role in strengthening, consolidating, and accelerating the progress already achieved.