-
16:30
-
16:00
-
15:30
-
15:20
-
15:00
-
14:40
-
14:40
-
14:31
-
14:15
Follow us on Facebook
Calls grow for new international anti-gang force in Haiti
The United States and Haiti urged on Monday the creation of a stronger international mission to combat gang violence, proposing to transform the current multinational security mission into a more robust “anti-gang force.” The appeal comes ahead of a crucial United Nations Security Council vote expected in early October.
The Multinational Security Mission (MMS), authorized in 2023 and led by Kenya, was deployed to assist Haiti’s overwhelmed police forces. However, the mission has faced major challenges due to limited funding and equipment, deploying only about 1,000 personnel out of the 2,500 originally planned.
“The MMS remains limited in its capacity to act and has not been able to secure the national territory in a sustainable way. Gangs have taken advantage of these gaps to reorganize and expand their influence,” said Laurent Saint-Cyr, head of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, during a UN meeting in New York.
The latest draft resolution, introduced by the United States and Panama, proposes a force of up to 5,550 uniformed personnel, including both police and soldiers, supported by a UN logistics and financing office. According to U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, the new mandate would allow the mission to “proactively confront gangs, restore security across Haiti, and reduce the territory under criminal control.”