The Canadian government will send 70 soldiers to Jamaica to prepare Caribbean Community (CARICOM) forces to combat gang wars in Haiti. The military training is part of the UN’s response to the continuing violence between armed groups in Haiti, with the death toll exceeding 1,500 by March. Under Ottawa’s “Operation Helios,” Canadian Armed Forces will train CARICOM personnel in peacekeeping and combat first aid skills at Ottawa’s Operational Support Hub in Jamaica. Approximately 330 warfighters from Jamaica, Belize, and the Bahamas will receive training under Operation Helios.
The UN strategy for Haiti, passed in October 2023, involves a “multinational security support mission” rather than an official union force. The deployment will last a year with a review scheduled after nine months. About 1,000 Kenyans will be sent to Port-au-Prince, with other partner nations contributing more than 2,500 military personnel.
Before this announcement, Canada pledged 80.5 million Canadian dollars in February to support the mission in Haiti. A prerequisite training course was completed earlier, focusing on civilian protection, conduct and discipline, and conflict-related sexual violence for 300 CARICOM troops. Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly thanked the Canadian Armed Forces for their dedication to the mission in Haiti, emphasizing Canada’s belief in Haitian-led solutions to the crises in the country.
