Troops from El Salvador on Tuesday arrived in Haiti to join a Kenya led Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission.
The Salvadoran forces landed at the Toussaint Louverture International Airport where they were received by the mission’s top command.
Haitian Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) President H.E. Leslie Voltaire welcomed the Salvadoran troops, accompanied by Police Nationale d’Haïti (PNH) Director General Normil Rameau and MSS Force Commander Godfrey Otunge.
Others who were present when the team arrived include; Canadian Ambassador to Haiti André François Giroux, French Ambassador to Haiti Antoine Michon, El Salvador’s Honorary Consul and MSS Deputy Force Commander Colonel Kevron Henry.
“President Voltaire emphasized that the arrival of the Salvadoran troops would strengthen MSS operations in Haiti,” MSS Media team said.
MSS Media team said that President Voltaire also expressed gratitude to the government of El Salvador for the deployment, noting that the troops would bring valuable expertise gained from their efforts to combat gang violence in their own country.
For Mr Otunge the MSS Media team said that the new arrival will play a critical role in fulfilling the MSS mandate to restore peace in the gang infested country.
“Otunge also acknowledged the Canadian government’s key role in facilitating the Salvadoran troops’ deployment and expressed appreciation to other contributing nations, including France, for their continued support,” the MSS Media team said.
It is worth noting that the Salvadoran contingent brings valuable expertise in air support operations, particularly in casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC).
The MSS team is expecting arrival of helicopters which are expected there by the end of the week.
Other countries that have their officers in Haiti include; Kenya, Jamaica, Guatemala, the Bahamas and Belize.This comes at a time when the United States of America (USA) has cut it’s donation to the mission.
