The international community is stepping up its efforts to restore peace in Haiti. The United Nations Security Council recently gave its approval for a substantially larger multinational force, composed of police and soldiers, to confront the ruthless criminal gangs responsible for widespread killings, rapes, and kidnappings across the nation.
This new initiative, spearheaded by the United States and Panama, aims to send up to 5,500 military and police personnel to Haiti. This robust force is designed to actively suppress gang activities and wield more assertive powers against the groups that have plunged the country into prolonged terror.
However, a significant challenge remains: it’s not yet clear which nations are willing to commit personnel or financial resources to support this vital mission.
Credit: Chang W. Lee/The New York Times
This significant decision was made just two days before the existing UN mandate for Haiti’s Multinational Security Support mission was set to expire. The previous mission, primarily made up of fewer than 1,000 Kenyan police officers, was intended to assist Haitian police. However, it consistently struggled with understaffing and insufficient funding, ultimately failing to bring the widespread violence under control.
Credit: Adriana Zehbrauskas for The New York Times
Officials confirmed that the newly approved deployment, which will integrate existing Kenyan personnel, is slated for a fivefold increase in size. Crucially, this expanded force will have the authority to launch independent offensive operations directly against gang strongholds, a major shift in strategy.
Bill O’Neill, the UN’s human rights expert for Haiti, noted that the current Kenyan contingent has faced restrictions on initiating their own operations or taking proactive measures. Their role has largely been confined to supporting the local police.
“This new force would be able to operate independently on its own initiative,” O’Neill stated back in August. “While it would still aim to assist and support the Haitian National Police, it would not be constrained by their operational limitations.”
This approval marks a significant moment, arriving eight years after the withdrawal of a much larger UN peacekeeping mission in Haiti, known as MINUSTAH.
Between 2004 and 2017, the UN maintained a presence of up to 10,000 military personnel in Haiti. However, this period was marred by controversy, as soldiers faced intense scrutiny for grave offenses, including sexual exploitation of women, child abuse, and the tragic introduction and spread of cholera, which claimed over 10,000 lives.
The operational structure of this new force will be distinct: the United Nations will oversee its management, but not its direct command. It is important to note that this force will not be categorized as an official UN peacekeeping operation.
Henry Wooster, the United States’ charge d’affaires in Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, described the new force’s mandate as “more muscular,” indicating a tougher stance.
He explained to reporters that this approach “allows greater freedom of maneuver, freedom of action,” suggesting that the force’s very name conveys its assertive nature.
Experts and authorities estimate that thousands of gang members are currently active in Haiti, contributing to the severe instability.
Haitian officials have voiced their support for this crucial intervention.
Laurent Saint-Cyr, head of Haiti’s presidential council, emphasized to the UN General Assembly last week that “the approaches that did not bear fruit yesterday will not save Haiti today.” He urged, “It is imperative to listen to the voice of the Haitian people.”
Despite objections, China and Russia ultimately abstained from vetoing the Security Council measure, allowing it to pass. China, however, criticized the United States for treating the Council as a “rubber stamp,” highlighting unanswered questions about the funding and personnel contributions for the new force.
The reliance on voluntary contributions poses a familiar challenge, as the previous Kenyan-led mission struggled to secure sufficient personnel and funding from nations other than the United States.
Haiti has been grappling with a severe humanitarian and security crisis ever since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. The situation deteriorated further in February 2024, when rival gangs formed an alliance, launching a coordinated assault against the government, police, and civilian communities.
According to the UN, over 4,000 individuals have tragically lost their lives to violence since January alone.
Reporting contributed by David C. Adams.