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The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, declared this Wednesday that he is betting on a "rapid deployment" of the new international mission aimed at combating armed gangs in Haiti, while calling on other countries to join this effort.
“The United States remains committed to collaborating with international stakeholders to support Haiti's path toward peace, stability, and democratic governance. We call on all nations to join us in this crucial effort”, Rubio emphasized.
The statement comes after the UN Security Council approved on Tuesday a resolution driven by Washington to deploy the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in the Caribbean country. This mission will replace the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), led by Kenya since last year, which did not achieve outstanding results. Although the previous mission was expected to reach 2,500 members, its actual number never exceeded 1,000 troops, weakened by the lack of resources and funding.
“We will work closely with other members of the Permanent Group of Partners to ensure the rapid deployment of the GSF,” Rubio said in an official statement. According to the head of US diplomacy, the new force “will address Haiti's immediate security challenges and lay the groundwork for long-term stability” in the nation, which is going through an unprecedented crisis of violence.
The secretary added that the GSF will work together with the newly created United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH) and that it will have "the necessary resources to combat the gangs."
The GSF, which is backed by the Haitian government, will have a maximum of 5,500 police or military personnel, assisted by 50 civilians, and an initial mandate of 12 months. The approved text stipulates that the personnel costs of the new force will be borne by voluntary contributions from the participating states.
With this initiative, Washington seeks to relaunch international presence in Haiti after the limited results of the mission led by Kenya, and to reinforce support for a country mired in the violence of criminal groups that control a large part of its capital, Port-au-Prince.
According to the resolution accessed by EFE and various international media outlets, the deployment of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) can carry out independent operations or in support of the Haitian National Police (PNH) to neutralize, isolate, and deter the armed groups that have extended their influence following the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021.
SOURCE: INFOBAE
