UN Chief Visits Violence-Hit Haiti as Gang Crisis Deepens

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is set to visit Haiti on Tuesday in a show of solidarity with victims of escalating gang violence, as the Caribbean nation grapples with a worsening humanitarian and security crisis.

During his visit to Port-au-Prince, Guterres will meet with Haitians whose lives have been disrupted by violence and displacement, while assessing efforts by national authorities and the international community to restore stability in the country.

Haiti, the poorest nation in the Americas, has endured years of political instability and rampant gang activity marked by killings, kidnappings, sexual violence and looting. According to UN estimates, nearly 1.5 million people have been displaced, while more than five million face acute food insecurity.

The security situation deteriorated sharply in early 2024 when gangs launched coordinated attacks that forced the resignation of the country’s unelected prime minister. Although an interim presidential council was established to oversee the transition, executive authority passed to Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime after the council’s mandate expired earlier this year.

Haiti has not held national elections since 2016, largely due to persistent insecurity.

Guterres’ visit comes as the international community seeks to strengthen security support for the country. The UN-backed Gang Suppression Force, approved by the Security Council last year, is expected to gradually replace the Multinational Mission to Support the Haitian Police, which faced criticism for lacking sufficient resources and personnel.

According to the UN, the secretary-general will review the organization’s support for Haiti, including logistical and operational assistance provided to the new force.

The visit also follows renewed warnings from UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk, who described the deployment of the Gang Suppression Force as urgently needed and called on Haitian authorities to address widespread impunity.

UN figures indicate that gang violence has killed at least 2,300 people, injured more than 1,100 and resulted in 99 kidnappings since the beginning of the year. A separate UN report found that more than 5,500 people were killed in gang-related violence between March 2025 and January 2026, with many deaths occurring during anti-gang operations.

The trip underscores growing international concern over Haiti’s deteriorating security situation and the urgent need for measures to protect civilians and restore governance.