Germany to provide military airlift support for Haiti’s Gang Suppression Force

Germany has announced it will make air transport capacity from the Bundeswehr, its armed forces, available to support the United Nations Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH) and to facilitate the deployment of the Gang Suppression Force (FRG/GSF), according to a statement from the German government and confirmed by Haitian and German outlets.

The Federal Ministry of Defence in Berlin said the Bundeswehr will transport equipment and material belonging to troop-contributing countries in the coming weeks, describing the move as a contribution to “rapidly stabilizing the security situation” in Haiti. The ministry said the airlift support underscores Germany’s role as “a reliable partner” of UN peace operations at what it called a decisive phase in the mission’s build-up.

According to the German government’s international portal, deutschland.de, the airlift will benefit personnel from the countries contributing troops and police to the mission, including Kenya, Chad, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Guatemala and Ivory Coast. A first transport operation is expected within the coming weeks.

The UN Security Council authorized the Gang Suppression Force last year to replace the multinational security support mission that had been operating in Haiti, mandating a force of roughly 5,500 soldiers and police officers backed by UNSOH, the newly created UN support office tasked with providing logistics, including food, fuel, infrastructure, and air and sea transport capacity. UN officials have said the previous mission was hampered by a lack of vehicles suited to Haiti’s difficult terrain, spare parts, helicopters and maritime assets, leaving armed groups able to block roads and isolate the capital.

Germany’s contribution adds to logistical support already provided to the mission. The Bundeswehr has been training troop-contributing nations through Mobile Training Teams and has supplied protective equipment to their soldiers, according to the Defence Ministry.

Separately, according to information reported by Radio Métropole, Germany’s logistical contribution comes in addition to a $35 million financial contribution to the United Nations Trust Fund supporting international security efforts in Haiti.