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Salvador noted a deteriorating situation in the country over the past three months, highlighting that more than 700,000 individuals are currently displaced. The political landscape is confronting multiple challenges, which have intensified suffering among the Haitian populace due to rising gang activities that are instilling fear and overwhelming national security forces. She described the humanitarian circumstances as “extremely dire.”
The gangs are now also targeted small vessels that transport people from Port-au-Prince to other regions, leading to the kidnapping of workers from international freight companies. This has pressured these companies to suspend their operations in Haiti, amplifying the crisis, according to Salvador’s observations.
Catherine Russell, the executive director of UNICEF, echoed these concerns, emphasizing that the dire situation for children in Haiti has worsened significantly. Over 360,000 of the displaced are children, suffering from severe rights violations including killings and serious injuries. Russell reported an alarming increase in incidents of sexual violence against both women and children this year, alongside gangs engaging in the recruitment of children for their operations.
She pointed out that children can make up between 30% to 50% of gang members, often being utilized as informants, cooks, and sexual slaves, while also being forced to commit acts of violence themselves.
The expansion of gang power in Haiti has accelerated since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, with estimates suggesting that gangs currently control around 80% of Port-au-Prince. This upsurge in violence, including killings, kidnappings, and sexual assaults, has incited civilian groups to rise in defense against the lawlessness.
On September 30, the Security Council decided to prolong the mandate of a multinational force led by Kenya that is aimed at assisting Haiti’s national police in combating gang violence. While the force was planned to include 2,500 police from various countries, Salvador reported that only about 430 are currently deployed, with the majority from Kenya, alongside smaller groups from the Bahamas, Belize, and Jamaica. Kenya’s President William Ruto announced recently that an additional 600 police personnel will be dispatched to Haiti in November.
Salvador expressed concerns regarding funding for this multinational force through the U.N. trust fund, stating it remains critically under-resourced, which poses risks to its deployment and overall mission effectiveness in supporting Haitian national forces.
In political developments, Leslie Voltaire has taken the oath as the new leader of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, amid serious corruption allegations against three of its former members. This council was established to address the power vacuum created when the former prime minister resigned due to targeted gang violence. It is now tasked with governing the country alongside the newly appointed Prime Minister Garry Conille and organizing elections planned for early 2026.
Salvador pointed out that despite some initial progress in the political domain, rising tensions between the council and the government have led to higher levels of frustration among the Haitian people, damaging their trust in the political process. She urged both entities to work collaboratively to prioritize security, governance reforms, and electoral preparations.
Currently, nearly half of Haiti’s population faces food insecurity exacerbated by gang control over crucial roads, impacting the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Salvador highlighted that this control has resulted in price increases and jeopardized many communities, which are teetering on the brink of collapse due to ongoing violence and unproductive agricultural lands.
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