In light of the worsening security crisis in Haiti, Canada recently announced the deployment of two Royal Canadian Navy Kingston-class Vessels to the country. Canada has been providing assistance amidst the escalating violence at Haiti’s request.
“Canada is committed to supporting the Haitian people, who are striving for a peaceful and more prosperous future. By transporting Haitian-purchased armoured vehicles, conducting patrol aircraft overflights, and now, deploying Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels, we will continue to step up with important contributions to Haiti’s security. We will continue to support Haitian-led efforts to build stability, and we thank our Royal Canadian Navy sailors for their contributions to this mission,” said the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of National Defence.
His Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Glace Bay and Moncton will conduct presence patrols in and around Haitian waters in the weeks ahead. These vessels have a combined company of over 90 Royal Canadian Navy sailors and will focus on the waters in the vicinity of Port-au-Prince.
The deployment seeks to bolster efforts to establish and maintain peace and security for the people of Haiti by contributing to Canada’s maritime situational awareness in the region.
While the Kingston-class Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels (MCDVs) are multi-role vessels, their primary mission is coastal surveillance and patrol.
Previous to this deployment, HMCS Glace Bay and Moncton were part of Operation PROJECTION in West Africa, building security relationships and capacity with nations in the Gulf of Guinea. The pair of ships are expected to arrive in Haitian waters in the coming weeks and remain in the region for a number of weeks.
Security assistance is one of four pillars of Canada’s whole of government response to the crisis in Haiti. The other pillars include diplomacy, sanctions, and humanitarian and development assistance.