By Beline Nyangi, AmityPoint Institute
Haiti is experiencing a grave humanitarian and security catastrophe. Since October 2024, escalating gang violence has claimed nearly 5,000 lives, displaced over 1.3 million people, and allowed criminal groups to assert control over approximately 85 to 90 percent of Port au Prince, posing regional and global security concerns (UN OHCHR & BINUH, 2025; Reuters, 2025; AP News, 2025).
A Spiral of Violence and Collapse
Between October 2024 and June 2025, at least 4,864 people were killed in gang-related violence. The October 2024 massacre in Pont Sondé, where over 115 civilians were slaughtered, underscores the brutality of unchecked armed groups (UN OHCHR & BINUH, 2025; Wikipedia contributors, 2025a).
Armed groups such as Viv Ansanm, Gran Grif, and G9 dominate much of the capital. Their tactics, including massacres, sexual violence, kidnappings, and extortion, are systematic and terrorize civilians, particularly women and children (Human Rights Watch [HRW], 2025; Guardian, 2025).
Humanitarian Collapse and Mass Displacement
More than 1.3 million people have been forcibly displaced. Half of them are children (AP News, 2025). Those fleeing violence often find refuge in overcrowded shelters with inadequate sanitation, food, or medical care. Children face increased risk of recruitment, sexual violence, and psychological trauma (Security Council Report, 2025).
International Security Support: Symbolism versus Substance
In response, the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) was deployed in mid 2025. It is led by Kenya, which pledged 1,000 police officers, making it the first African nation to lead a UN-backed operation in the Western Hemisphere (UN Press, 2025; Reuters, 2025b). Other nations, including Jamaica, The Bahamas, and Barbados, have pledged additional personnel and logistical support.
Despite the symbolic significance of this mission, it remains underfunded and under-equipped. By July 2025, only a fraction of the promised forces had been deployed. Their capacity to confront heavily armed gangs remains limited. Without systemic reform and adequate resources, the MSS risks becoming a temporary patch rather than a durable solution (UN HRW, 2025; Guardian, 2025; Wikipedia contributors, 2025b).
A Moral Crisis of Governance
Haiti’s instability, which deepened after the 2021 assassination of President Moïse and a prolonged political vacuum, has led to the collapse of state authority. Public trust is eroded and democratic governance feels increasingly distant for many Haitians (HRW, 2025).
The international community’s slow and fragmented response reflects a troubling pattern of global neglect toward crises in Black and Global South nations. It raises difficult but necessary questions about fairness in humanitarian intervention.
What Must Be Done
At AmityPoint Institute, we believe the pathway to stability must be anchored in justice, local agency, and sustained international solidarity.
- Strengthen and fund the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS)
Deployment must be accelerated, training prioritized, and the Haitian National Police empowered to work alongside MSS. - Invest in community-led governance and youth resilience
Local civic leaders and grassroots groups must be central to the peacebuilding process, not sidelined. - Ensure justice for survivors and accountability for armed groups
Investigations and prosecutions are essential to rebuild trust and legitimacy in the rule of law.
Final Word: Toward Restorative Peace
Haiti’s crisis is not inevitable. It is the result of decades of systemic neglect, both domestic and international. As global citizens and policy thinkers, we must reject indifference, uplift Haitian voices, and push for a peace rooted in dignity and justice.
References
AP News. (2025, July). Gang violence displaced a record 1.3 million people in Haiti, UN report finds. https://apnews.com/article/6e4d99e17022d271a81bc9001eca0e38
Guardian. (2025, April 21). Haiti is nearing ‘point of no return’ as gang violence surges: UN official. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/apr/21/haiti-gang-violence
Human Rights Watch. (2025). World Report 2025: Haiti. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2025/country-chapters/haiti
Reuters. (2025, July 11). Haiti gang violence claims 5,000 lives in less than a year, UN report. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/haiti-gang-violence-claims-5000-lives-less-than-year-un-report-2025-07-11
Reuters. (2025b, May 2). US designates two powerful Haitian gangs as terrorist groups. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-designates-two-powerful-haitian-gangs-terrorist-groups-2025-05-02
Security Council Report. (2025, February). Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti. https://www.securitycouncilreport.org
UN OHCHR & BINUH. (2025, July). Spreading gang violence poses major risk to Haiti and Caribbean sub-region. https://www.ohchr.org/en
UN Press. (2025, July 9). MSS mission faces delays, UN officials warn of worsening gang entrenchment. https://press.un.org
Wikipedia contributors. (2025a). 2024 Pont-Sondé attack. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Pont-Sondé_attack
Wikipedia contributors. (2025b). Multinational Security Support Mission in Haiti. In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multinational_Security_Support_Mission_in_Haiti
Beline Nyangi is the Founder and Director of AmityPoint Institute, committed to principled policy and justice-based peacebuilding.