Approximately 70 members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have embarked on a mission to Jamaica as part of Operation HELIOS, in response to a request from the Jamaican government. Their primary objective is to provide comprehensive training to military personnel from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations, who are gearing up for deployment to Haiti. This deployment is part of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, a United Nations-sanctioned effort led by Kenya, aiming to assist the Haitian National Police (HNP) in re-establishing security within the nation.
The training conducted by the CAF will cover core peacekeeping skills, combat first aid, and entail validation and integration exercises for the CARICOM troops. These preparations are crucial for the troops’ upcoming deployment to Haiti, where they will join forces with the Kenyan-led MSS mission to support the HNP. The training sessions are scheduled to take place at the CAF’s Operational Support Hub in Jamaica, leveraging the facilities to ensure the CARICOM troops are well-prepared for their mission.
The personnel involved in this Canadian mission are predominantly from the 1st Battalion, Royal 22e Régiment based in Valcartier, Quebec. This deployment is planned for an initial duration of one month, with an objective to train approximately 330 troops from Jamaica, Belize, and the Bahamas.
This effort is part of Canada’s broader commitment to support the MSS mission and enhance the operational capabilities of CARICOM partner nations. In line with this, Canada has pledged $80.5 million to aid the deployment of the MSS mission to Haiti. This initiative also aligns with Canada’s ongoing commitment to increasing the capacity of CARICOM nations to partake in United Nations missions, having previously conducted training for about 300 defense personnel from Jamaica, Belize, and the Bahamas in January 2024.
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