Chad will deploy 1,500 troops to Haiti as part of a United Nations security force combating gang violence that has left the Caribbean nation's capital largely under criminal control, according to a letter from the Chadian president to the legislature.
In the letter read out to lawmakers of the Central African country on Monday, Chadian President Mahamat Déby Itno said two battalions of 750 troops each will be deployed from this month for one year, following a request by the United Nations. A contingent of 400 men has already been sent to Haiti as part of this mission that honors Chad and its defense and security forces, the president said.
Expanded Security Mandate
Last year, the U.N. Security Council approved the expansion of the Kenya-led multinational force in Haiti to 5,500 troops, called the Gang Suppression Force, and expanded its power to include arresting suspected gang members, which the previous force did not have. The previous mission, launched in 2023, was envisioned to include 2,500 personnel and was led by the Kenyan police, but it was handicapped by a lack of staff and funds.
The enhanced mandate represents a recognition that the initial deployment lacked the resources and authority necessary to address Haiti's security crisis. The expansion to 5,500 troops and the addition of arrest powers signals a more robust approach to restoring order in a nation where state authority has effectively collapsed in many areas.
Deteriorating Security Situation
Deadly gangs control as much as 90% of Port-au-Prince, the country's capital, and swaths of land in the country's central region. The security vacuum has persisted since the fifth year following the 2021 assassination of the country's former president, Jovenel Moïse, by a squad of gunmen in his home.
The violence continues unabated. At least 30 people were killed and dozens more were missing, human rights groups said, after the Gran Grif gang launched a renewed attack on the town of Petite-Rivière de l'Artibonite, in central Haiti, last month. The attack underscores the urgent need for international intervention to prevent further humanitarian catastrophe and restore basic security.
Chad's contribution significantly bolsters the multinational force, which has struggled to meet its personnel targets. The deployment of 1,500 troops represents a substantial commitment from the Central African nation to international security cooperation.
Why This Matters:
The deployment highlights the severe institutional failure in Haiti, where criminal organizations have effectively displaced government authority across 90% of the capital. The expansion of the U.N. force with enhanced arrest powers acknowledges that the initial mission's limitations—insufficient personnel, inadequate funding, and restricted authority—prevented effective intervention. Chad's troop contribution addresses critical staffing shortfalls that have hampered security operations. The ongoing gang control threatens regional stability, creates migration pressures, and demonstrates the consequences when state institutions cannot maintain basic order. The mission's success or failure will test whether international intervention can restore governance where domestic institutions have collapsed, and whether adequate resources and clear mandates can succeed where previous efforts failed.