Chad will deploy 1,500 soldiers to Haiti as part of the Gang Repression Force (FRG) established by the United Nations, President Mahamat Idriss Déby announced Monday.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has been suffering for years from widespread gang violence, including killings, rapes, looting, and kidnappings.
“The State will contribute two battalions of 750 personnel each, for a total of 1,500 troops. A contingent of 400 is already deployed in Haiti,” the president said in a statement read by National Assembly Speaker Ali Kolotou Tchaïmi before lawmakers.
Chad had already announced on March 24 the deployment of 750 security personnel for this mission, with a second battalion of the same size to follow.
The president highlighted Chad’s regular participation in international coalitions and peacekeeping missions, including operations against the jihadist group Boko Haram, as well as deployments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, and Cameroon, and its role in the G5 Sahel.
According to the United Nations, gangs controlling most of the capital, Port-au-Prince, have expanded their influence beyond the city over the past 12 months.
The FRG is a multinational mission supporting the Haitian police in operations against gangs and may include up to 5,500 police and military personnel. It replaces the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), led by Kenya.
A UN human rights report published in March states that gang violence and counter-operations caused more than 5,500 deaths between March 2025 and mid-January.
