Haiti's Gangs: Can a Foreign Mission Break Their Stranglehold?
- A foreign security mission is essential for Haiti but faces daunting operational and political challenges; it must be adequately resourced and prepared for urban combat.
- Gangs control vast areas of Haiti, including Port-au-Prince, causing a severe humanitarian crisis with over 200,000 displaced and thousands killed or kidnapped in 2023.
- Haiti's political stalemate, weak state institutions, and corruption within the police force exacerbate the security crisis and complicate the mission's effectiveness.
- The mission must prioritize civilian protection, develop community intelligence networks, and establish robust accountability mechanisms to avoid past intervention failures.
- Long-term success requires a comprehensive political settlement, effective demobilization programs for gang members, and concerted efforts to stem illegal arms flows and sever ties between elites and criminal groups.
Haiti is grappling with a severe security and humanitarian crisis, largely due to the escalating power of criminal gangs that control vast areas, including much of Port-au-Prince and key transport routes. The assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 further destabilized the country, leading to over 200,000 internally displaced persons, widespread violence, and a political vacuum with no elections since 2016. The national police are outnumbered and outgunned, prompting the Haitian government to request international assistance.
In response, the UN Security Council authorized a Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, expected to deploy in early 2024. This mission aims to assist the Haitian National Police in combating gangs, protecting critical infrastructure, and facilitating humanitarian aid delivery. However, it faces significant hurdles, including potential gang alliances, urban combat complexities, corruption within the police, and a deeply fractured political landscape. For the mission to succeed, it must be adequately resourced, well-trained, and prioritize civilian protection, while also addressing structural issues like arms trafficking, elite-gang ties, and the urgent need for a political settlement and demobilization programs.
How to cite
International Crisis Group (ICG), 2024, Haiti's Gangs: Can a Foreign Mission Break Their Stranglehold?, https://www.crisisgroup.org/brf/latin-america-caribbean/haiti/b49-haitis-gangs-can-foreign-mission-break-their-stranglehold