As part of the first phase of disengagement of the Police component of the UN Mission in support of Minujusth, two contingents, one based in Port-au-Prince (India 1) and the other based in Miragoâne (Nippes) will leave Haiti on December 18, 2018.

There will now be only 5 contingents of international police to support the operations of the National Police of Haiti (PNH).

Deployed in the regions to preserve past security gains over the past years, Constituted Police Units (UPCs) are gradually withdrawing to transfer full security responsibility to a gradually strengthened PNH.

Recall that it was 10 years since UPC India 1 arrived in Haiti (October 2008) as part of the United Nations Stability Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). Based in the industrial park area (SONAPI) of Port-au-Prince, it gives way to the officers of the PNH who will now be responsible for securing the area. A strategic position for the national institution that intends to reduce crime between the Airport and the City Center through an increased presence.

For its part, the Bangladeshi contingent based in Miragoâne will give way to the UPC of Rwanda, based so far in Jérémie (Grand'Anse). "Miragoâne is a strategic point between the capital and the Great South that must be kept accessible," said Commissioner Serge Therriault, Commander of the Police component of the Mission. With the reduction in the number of international police officers, this realignment into an existing United Nations base makes it possible to maintain a rapid deployment capacity to the departments of the South and Grand'Anse or, if necessary, in support of operations in the West of Port-au-Prince."

With the return of Bangladeshi and Indian police contingents, UNMIJUSTH is implementing its disengagement strategy on the ground with a view to its closure scheduled for October 2019, in accordance with Security Council resolution 2410 (2018).

HL/ HaitiLibre