This evening, The Bahamas welcomed home the third contingent of Royal Bahamas Defence
Force (RBDF) officers who served dutifully in the Haiti Gang Suppression Force (GSF), formerly
known as the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSSM), with personnel from Kenya,
Jamaica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Canada.
The Honourable Wayne Munroe, Minister of National Security, joined Commander of the Royal
Bahamas Defence Force Commodore Floyd Moxey; Ambassador Jerusa Ali, Director General
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Deputy Chief of Mission Mrs. Kimberley Furnish, U.S.
Embassy Nassau, in welcoming the third contingent of Bahamian personnel who arrived via
U.S. Department of War airlift.
Minister Munroe expressed his gratitude for their service and noted that The Bahamas will
continue supporting Haiti through bilateral training, intelligence sharing, and assistance to GSF
personnel from the Republic of Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Sri Lanka, and other countries deploying
between April and October. He also thanked the U.S. Embassy and the U.S. Department of War
for the airlift arranged for Bahamian and Jamaican personnel.
Commodore Floyd Moxey addressed the returning personnel: “Our presence here is a
testament to the progress that has been made since the adoption of UN Security Council
Resolutions 2699 and 2793. The journey has not been an easy one for all of you and for those
who were deployed before you, but it has been a mission of purpose — one that affirms our
commitment to supporting our international brothers and sisters in need. Notably, this is not our
first deployment to Haiti. The RBDF proudly served in peacekeeping operations in Haiti in the
early 1990s, and our return to Haiti in 2023 reaffirmed our ongoing commitment to regional
stability.”
Commander Alexis Brown, who served in the Command of the GSF, said: “The team and I
reflect with great pride on what was accomplished alongside our international partners and
Haitian counterparts. The experience and partnerships developed during this mission will
continue to guide our work as the international community aligns its efforts in support of Haiti’s
pathway to stability and security. It has been an honour to serve.”
“From my post here in Port-au-Prince,” said Commander Julian Smith, Chargé d’Affaires,
Embassy of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas to the Republic of Haiti, who said farewell to
the team earlier this morning, “I have witnessed firsthand the professionalism, discipline, and
quiet resolve of our RBDF personnel as they carried out their mandate within the GSF. Their
service has been exemplary — a true reflection of the character and capability of the Bahamian
men and women who serve our nation. The Embassy takes immense pride in the constructive
role The Bahamas continues to play in Haiti’s path toward stability, and I commend this
contingent and all those who came before them for the honour they have brought to our flag in
one of the hemisphere’s most challenging environments.”
Ambassador Jerusa Ali explained: “Following this redeployment exercise, The Bahamas will
maintain an active role in supporting security and stability in Haiti through political and
diplomatic engagement at the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and
CARICOM, as well as through training support to members of the Haitian National Police and
the Coast Guard Commission. This important work is positively shaping the peace and security
agenda in our region.”
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