Letter from the Secretary-General to the Security Council on Comprehensive Assessment of UN and International Efforts in Haiti
Summary — The UN Secretary-General provides a comprehensive assessment of Haiti's multidimensional crisis and strategic recommendations for future UN involvement, including potential peacekeeping operations. The document analyzes escalating gang violence, political instability, and humanitarian challenges following President Moïse's assassination.
Key Findings
- Gang-related violence killed at least 5,601 people in 2024, over 1,000 more than in 2023.
- Children comprise between one-third to one-half of all gang members.
- An estimated 500,000 small arms are in circulation, with 80% of traced firearms manufactured in or imported from the United States.
- Over 1 million Haitians are internally displaced, up from 330,000 one year ago.
- Only 28% of in-patient health facilities remain fully operational nationwide, with over 1,000 schools closed due to violence.
Full Description
This UN Security Council document presents a comprehensive assessment of Haiti's deteriorating security situation and ongoing humanitarian crisis. The Secretary-General analyzes the current context following President Jovenel Moïse's assassination in July 2021, highlighting the fragile political transition and the rise of gang violence that has challenged state authority across the country.
The assessment reveals alarming statistics about gang-related violence, with at least 5,601 people killed in 2024 alone, representing an increase of over 1,000 deaths compared to 2023. Gangs now control significant portions of the West and Artibonite Departments, which account for over 40% of the electorate, while sexual violence and recruitment of children remain widespread problems. The document notes that children comprise between one-third to one-half of all gang members.
The report examines the root causes of instability, including weak political structures, corruption, inequality, and the proliferation of illegal firearms. An estimated 500,000 small arms are in circulation, with 80% of Haiti-bound firearms traced between 2020-2022 manufactured in or imported from the United States. The erosion of state institutions is evident in the destruction of police infrastructure, with 67 of 412 police facilities non-operational and seven of 21 prisons non-functional.
The document also assesses national security capacities, including the understaffed Haitian National Police, the recently reinstated Armed Forces with 865 personnel, and the Multinational Security Support Mission that began deploying in June 2024. Despite increased government funding of $227.16 million for police (9.27% of the national budget), security forces remain outmatched by well-armed gangs with access to high-caliber weapons, drones, and night vision equipment.