Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne speaking at the UNGA on September 22, 2023. Photo: LOOP NEWS

The decision to send members of the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF) to the French-speaking Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country was taken following a meeting last Friday on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Antigua and Barbuda joins Jamaica and The Bahamas in pledging manpower to support Kenya’s plan to deploy a security force in Haiti.

Kenya plans to send 1,000 security personnel to Haiti. Their efforts will be backed by a $100 million fund provided by the United States.

In a statement, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) said “there was no determination at this point on how many members of the [ABDF] will be dispatched to Haiti.”

OPM said that Prime Minister Gaston Browne is committed to finding a solution to the problems facing Haiti.

OPM highlighted Browne’s presentation at the UNGA where he told world leaders that the situation in Haiti is getting worse as the CARICOM Eminent Persons Group voiced concerns over the rising dominance of gangs and the ensuing human rights crisis.

“The immediate imperatives are clear: An urgent, comprehensive, coordinated intervention is required; that will concurrently restore governance, security, and the rule of law while resolving the humanitarian needs,” Browne said.

“The CARICOM Eminent persons strongly recommended that a broad-based transitional government is the linchpin for effective governance. It is our aspiration that this proposed representative transitional government materialises, to provide the necessary leadership that is required; with external assistance to restore order and bring lasting peace and prosperity to the Haitian people,” he added.