In a high-profile ceremony on Saturday, November 8, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé handed over seven armored vehicles to the reconstituted Armed Forces of Haiti, framing the delivery as an early step in a broader plan to rebuild national security capacities. The event at the Prime Minister’s Office drew senior civilian and military leaders and signals a sharpening focus on security as Haiti prepares for upcoming political milestones.
Prime Minister Fils-Aimé joined by Advisor-President Leslie Voltaire presented the vehicles in the presence of Defense Minister Jean-Michel Moïse, Justice and Public Security Minister Dr. Patrick Pélissier, and Major General Jonas Jean, deputy commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. Officials described the transfer as the first tranche in a strategic procurement intended to bolster the state’s ability to respond to rising gang violence and territorial instability.
The delivered vehicles are Senator MRAP armored personnel carriers manufactured by Canadian firm Roshel. They represent the initial installment of a planned order for 17 units, including both personnel-carrier and combat-configured variants. The purchase is part of a broader Defense Modernization Program announced last month by Minister Moïse, which also envisions aircraft and naval platforms to rebuild Haiti’s core military capacities.
Reestablished in 2017 after a 22-year hiatus following the 1995 dissolution of the previous Haitian military, the modern Armed Forces currently number roughly 1,500 personnel. Officials say the force’s priorities include territorial defense, disaster response, and support to the Haitian National Police (PNH) in anti-gang operations.
Prime Minister Fils-Aimé — who assumed office on November 11, 2024 amid political turmoil and a contested transitional period — has repeatedly emphasized security as central to restoring governance and enabling elections. In remarks related to recent security briefings, he declared: “We will strike hard and relentlessly. No criminal will be spared.” Government spokespeople framed the armored vehicle delivery as one tangible measure to create safer conditions for the electoral and civic processes planned for next year.
The procurement has drawn attention for its symbolic weight and practical implications. Supporters argue the vehicles will strengthen state capacity to protect citizens and critical infrastructure. Critics and civil society observers, however, caution that hardware alone will not resolve Haiti’s complex crisis: they underline the need for comprehensive strategies that include rule-of-law reforms, human-rights safeguards, investment in the Haitian National Police, and community-level interventions to address the root causes of gang recruitment and violence.
As Haiti’s security architecture evolves, government officials say further deliveries from the current order will follow. The Defense Modernization Program — still being finalized — is expected to be implemented in phases, contingent on funding, logistics, and training for personnel tasked with operating and maintaining the new equipment.
For now, the seven MRAPs mark a visible early step in the transitional government’s campaign to reassert state presence in contested areas. How effectively the vehicles are integrated into a broader, accountable security strategy will be a key test for Haiti’s leaders and their international partners in the months ahead.
