In combat gear, weapons in hand, the Kenyan contingent gathered on the airport tarmac, singing loudly.
To welcome these new military/police officers, a ceremony was held in the presence of Fritz Alphonse Jean Transition Advisor, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, Patrick Pélissier, Minister of Justice and Public Security and Mario Andrésol, Secretary of State for Public Security.
Prime Minister Didier praised the sacrifice and commitment of Kenya, which sent highly qualified men to help Haiti.
He stressed the importance of this new deployment, which illustrates the determination of the Government and the international community to eradicate armed gangs and restore the authority of the State, stating «The arrival of these reinforcements marks a crucial step in freeing our country from the grip of criminal networks and restoring peace there.»
In his speech on the situation, Presidential Advisor Fritz Alphonse Jean welcomed the new Kenyan contingent and thanked Kenya, which was the first country to respond to help Haiti in this difficult context and took the opportunity to announce the arrival of another Kenyan contingent by the end of January.
The Advisor informed that the State is ready to declare war on all bandits who prevent the country from moving forward. He also took the opportunity to announce a future corrective budget called «corrective war budget» in which the Government will prioritize security.
Mission Commander Godfrey Otunge and other representatives of the multinational force also spoke to renew their commitment to helping Haiti combat insecurity.
With this 3rd Kenyan contingent, the total strength of the Mission is now 807 military/police officers (617 Kenyans, 150 Guatemalans, 8 Salvadorans, 6 Bahamians, 24 Jamaicans and 2 Belizeans) out of the 2,500 men in total from different countries, estimated for the mission.
A final contingent of about 200 men will arrive in February.