(MENAFN- Newsroom Panama)
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau revealed that he will deploy the Royal Canadian Navy to the Haitian coast as part of his effort to address the crisis in that country, during the Caribbean Community (Caricom) summit, which concludes Friday in the Bahamas.
The objective of the ships will be 'to carry out surveillance, gather intelligence and maintain a maritime presence off the Haitian coast in the coming weeks,' according to what he said at the end of the second day of the meeting of the leaders of the Caribbean organization.
Trudeau also committed $10 million to help the International Organization for Migration (IOM) strengthen the protection of Haitian women and children on the border with the Dominican Republic, as well as an additional investment of $12.3 million in humanitarian assistance.
“We have provided direct support to strengthen the Haitian National Police so that it has the tools to resolve the situation, including the deployment of surveillance aircraft and vital strategic security equipment and vehicles,” he said.
Trudeau noted that Canada has also implemented 'robust sanctions against corrupt economic and political elites who have used their influence and resources to support criminal gangs and fuel instability in Haiti.'
In this regard, he said that specific sanctions have been imposed on 15 people and announced a sixth round of sanctions against two more people.
The Canadian prime minister was invited to the 44th meeting of Caricom heads of government and held bilateral talks on Thursday night with leaders of several countries, including the Bahamas, Haiti, and Jamaica.
“Haiti faces unrelenting gang violence, political turmoil, and corruption.
Armed groups are committing murder, rape, and other acts of gender violence, kidnapping innocent people and recruiting children to terrorize and subjugate people”, he lamented.
For this reason, he urged to work on 'durable solutions that restore order and security, allow essential aid to reach those who urgently need it, and create the conditions for free and fair elections.'
On the other hand, Trudeau informed the members of Caricom about Canada's commitment to combat the flow of illicit drugs, arms, and human trafficking in the region, for which he will provide $1.8 million.
The Canadian prime minister also committed $44 million nation in new capital funds for the climate crisis and biodiversity initiatives in the Caribbean.
As announced before the start of the summit by the Prime Minister of the Bahamas and Caricom's current president, Pillip Davis, the Caribbean leaders were going to seek the support of Canada and the United States to try to resolve the crisis in Haiti.
Caricom members are Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad, and Tobago.