The United States reaffirms its commitment to Haiti in its efforts to restore security and stability, stepping up its support through concrete and substantial initiatives.
A significant contribution of $628 million in financial and material aid has been allocated to the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS).
This decision marks a crucial step in strengthening the security capabilities of a country where the majority of the territory is controlled by armed gangs. Thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes and live in temporary shelters.
This substantial funding is aimed at providing essential strategic equipment, including latest-generation armored vehicles, sophisticated radio communication systems, advanced night vision goggles, unarmed drones for surveillance, as well as comprehensive logistical support.
To date, more than 50 armored personnel carriers (APCs) have already been successfully delivered to the multinational force and the Haitian National Police (HNP), with other major equipment on the way. These deliveries are part of a progressive and well-planned equipment program, according to a US State Department spokesperson in an electronic exchange with CTN’s editorial team.
Other essential supplies include modern IT systems, ammunition of various calibers, specialized riot control equipment and efficient medical evacuation services (MEDEVAC). At the same time, several forward operating bases have been painstakingly rehabilitated and modernized to significantly enhance the operational capability of the MSS mission. These considerable efforts reflect the unwavering determination of the United States to remain a key and reliable partner in the fight against gang violence in Haiti, promised a spokesman for the US Department of State.
Capacity-building for the Haitian National Police
Gang-related violence continues to represent a major and persistent threat to Haiti’s stability. In response to this critical situation, the United States is focusing its strategic efforts on substantially strengthening the HNP, so that it can respond effectively and sustainably to these complex security challenges. In 2024, U.S. humanitarian and development assistance reached a substantial $470 million, covering vital and priority sectors such as public health, national education, democratic governance and homeland security.
The Office of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) plays a central and decisive role in this multifaceted assistance, providing the HNP with state-of-the-art modern equipment and in-depth specialized training. These ambitious initiatives are aimed not only at significantly reducing the immediate threats posed by gangs, but also at transforming the PNH into a modern, professional and accountable institution, fully capable of effectively maintaining public security throughout Haiti.
Complementing PNH initiatives, the MSS mission focuses on three main areas of intervention, each carefully crafted to address the complex challenges facing Haiti:
- Strengthening anti-gang operations: The mission actively supports law enforcement agencies in their efforts to weaken and dismantle criminal networks. This approach includes the deployment of specialized units, the use of advanced surveillance technologies and the implementation of coordinated strategies to target high-crime areas. Particular emphasis is placed on developing intelligence and strengthening rapid response capabilities.
- Humanitarian aid: A key priority is to ensure that affected populations receive immediate and ongoing vital assistance. This includes distributing food and drinking water, providing emergency medical care and setting up temporary shelters for displaced people. Secure humanitarian corridors are established to facilitate the delivery of aid to the most vulnerable communities.
- Regional security: The mission aims to significantly improve overall security conditions in the areas most affected by the violence. This holistic approach includes strengthening security infrastructures, training local forces and implementing crime prevention programs.
Transition to a UN peacekeeping operation
A key and strategic element of the US approach is the gradual and methodical transition of the MSS mission to a UN peacekeeping operation, as requested by the President of the Presidential Transitional College (PTC). This proposal is also widely supported by Haiti’s regional partners, the spokesman said, who see it as an opportunity for long-term stabilization.
In November 2024, the UN Security Council formally requested the Secretary-General to prepare a detailed and comprehensive report on potential solutions to the crisis in Haiti, including an in-depth analysis of the feasibility of a peacekeeping operation. This transition is unanimously seen as a crucial and necessary step to ensure lasting stability and mobilize more international resources.
The State Department fully recognizes the complexity and interconnectedness of the challenges currently facing Haiti. Endemic gang violence, deeply rooted in the social fabric, is intertwined with systemic corruption that gangrenes institutions and chronic political instability that paralyzes the functioning of the State. Despite sustained efforts and substantial assistance from the international community, persistent governance obstacles continue to significantly impede the expected progress on the ground.
Against this critical backdrop, the United States is launching an urgent appeal to Haiti’s leaders, urging them to make good governance and structural reforms their top priority in order to rebuild eroded public confidence. Particular emphasis is placed on the vital importance of ensuring total transparency in the operation of key institutions, notably within the Conseil Présidentiel de Transition (CPT), a body crucial to the country’s political future.
Close cooperation with regional partners, in particular CARICOM, which plays a leading role in the Caribbean region, as well as with other strategic international allies, is seen as a fundamental and indispensable pillar. This collaborative approach is essential to developing and implementing a coordinated, effective and sustainable response to the multidimensional crisis shaking Haiti, advised a State Department spokesperson.
While major aid packages have been announced by the United States, the security situation continues to deteriorate in Haiti, where armed bandits reign terror. Business is virtually at a standstill. Even public offices are dysfunctional, several of them having been relocated under pressure from thugs.