Honduras sends peacekeeping troops to Haiti

Honduras is sending a 37- member military contingent to Haiti later Wednesday to take part in peacekeeping efforts there, a top military officer announced. The troops will support general peacekeeping efforts as part of the framework of agreements that Honduras has signed with the United Nations (UN), the chairman of the Honduran Armed Forces' Joint Chiefs of Staff, general Fredy Santiago Diaz, said Wednesday in a statement. "It makes us proud, knowing that Honduras is taken into account in forming these missions that are solely undertaken by professional soldiers," said Santiago. The Honduran contingent will be financially supported by Chile, Santiago said, adding "later we will increase the contingent." The decision to send the contingent was unanimously approved by the Honduran Congress. The peacekeeping troops from Honduras are to serve in Haiti for a year. Haiti has been affected by political turmoil and natural disasters such as a devastating 2010 earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people.