The situation in Haiti is increasingly precarious, with gangs threatening to seize control of the capital, Port-au-Prince, potentially leading to a total collapse of government authority. The warning comes from the United Nations Secretary-General, who underscored the urgent need for additional international support for the national police force to prevent further deterioration in this already struggling nation.
In a report prepared for the Security Council meeting that took place Wednesday, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized that immediate action is critical. He stated that any further delay in reinforcing the police with additional personnel for the multinational force tasked with combating gang violence could result in a disastrous failure of national security institutions. Guterres expressed concern that such a failure could allow gangs to dominate the metropolitan area, effectively paralyzing state authority and jeopardizing international missions aimed at assisting vulnerable communities in Haiti.
Guterres remarked to the Security Council that proactive measures are essential to avert such grave consequences. Currently, Kenya is at the forefront of the multinational police force, with 217 new officers having arrived over the weekend, increasing the total deployment to over 600. This is still significantly below the 1,000 officers promised by Kenya’s president, and the force aims for a strength of 2,500 personnel. In addition, Guatemala has contributed 150 officers, and eight troops from El Salvador have also joined the operation, but the force remains understrength.
Gang violence has intensified in Haiti since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. The United Nations reported that last year alone, over 5,600 individuals lost their lives in Haiti, marking a rise of over 20% compared to the previous year. Maria Isabel Salvador, the U.N. special envoy for Haiti, informed the Security Council that the rampant violence has displaced more than 1 million Haitians, many of whom have sought refuge in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions after gunmen destroyed their homes.
The humanitarian crisis facing Haiti has reached critical levels, with nearly 2 million people experiencing emergency food insecurity, while 6,000 individuals are in dire circumstances facing starvation. In light of the escalating violence and humanitarian collapse, Haiti’s leaders have put forth a request for a U.N. peacekeeping operation to take over from the current multinational force. This request has garnered support from the permanent council of the Organization of American States, the United States, and several other nations. The multinational mission is currently backed by a trust fund that has only secured $101.1 million in pledges, whereas a U.N. peacekeeping operation would be funded through the U.N. budget.
Guterres is currently evaluating potential roles for the U.N. in Haiti’s future. Haiti’s Foreign Minister, Jean-Victor Harvel Jean Baptiste, articulated the need for a U.N. peacekeeping mission, echoing Guterres’ sentiments regarding the existential threats posed by gang violence, massacres, and kidnappings to the safety of Haitians and the viability of the state itself.
Expressing his dismay over the brutality and scale of violence perpetrated by the gangs, Guterres cited alarming reports of sexual violence, including mass rapes and the enlistment of children into gangs. He added that setbacks within Haiti’s political framework have created an environment where such atrocities thrive. Guterres characterized the pace of the political transition following Moïse’s assassination as disturbingly slow and cautioned that the objective of reinstating democratic institutions by February 2026 is now at risk.
