The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has expressed full support for the initiative to transform the Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti (MSSM) into a Gang Suppression Force (GSF), as the Caribbean nation sinks deeper into chaos and violence.
This proposal, led by the United States and Panama—who serve as the “penholders” on the Haiti file—was recently submitted as a draft resolution to the United Nations Security Council.
According to its backers, the resolution could represent a decisive turning point in the international response to Haiti’s escalating crisis.
The draft, now under discussion, reflects the urgent appeal of the UN Secretary-General and the formal request of the Haitian government. It is presented as a direct response to the “continued deterioration of the security and humanitarian situation” in Haiti, a country ravaged by an alarming surge in “killings, kidnappings, gender-based violence, territorial losses, and mass displacement at the hands of armed gangs.”
From MSSM to GSF: A Stronger Mandate and New Structure
The resolution calls for the transition of the Multinational Security Support Mission, currently led by Kenya, into a more powerful and structured entity: the Gang Suppression Force.
The new force, authorized to deploy up to 5,500 personnel, would be granted a “robust mandate” to confront the gang threat.
To support the mission, the draft also proposes the creation of a United Nations Support Office in Haiti, which would provide essential logistical and operational assistance. This office would be financed through mandatory contributions from UN member states, while the force itself would continue to rely on voluntary funding—a model similar to that of the MSSM.
CARICOM at the Forefront of Haiti’s Case
In a statement dated September 7, 2025, CARICOM welcomed the initiative with “great interest and anticipation.”
The regional body, of which Haiti is a member, seized the moment to issue a pressing appeal to Security Council members—especially the permanent ones. It urged them to “take into account the desperate and precarious conditions in which the Haitian nation finds itself.”
“The Haitian people have suffered for far too long,” CARICOM emphasized. The adoption of this resolution, it said, “would bring a glimmer of hope and the promise of relief” to a people who, in the words of the UN Secretary-General, are “enduring a perfect storm of suffering.”
Regional Support and Strategic Partnerships
Alongside the UN debate, diplomatic efforts are underway to strengthen regional backing.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau recently held talks with Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The two leaders agreed on the need for “increased support to address insecurity and violence in Haiti,” the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince said Monday in a statement.
Landau stressed “the importance of creating a United Nations support office,” underscoring Washington’s reliance on regional alliances to stabilize Haiti and to combat the illicit trafficking of drugs and firearms fueling the crisis.
All eyes are now on the Security Council, which is expected to vote on the draft resolution in the coming days.
