1. The context: lawlessness and fear
Whilst the situation in Haiti has long been characterized by lawlessness, with powerful gangs controlling much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, the months of January and February 2024 have been the most violent in the last two years, with over 2,500 people killed, kidnapped or injured since the start of the year. The decision of Prime Minister Ariel Henry, in March 2024, to step down has further complicated the situation.Earlier in March Cindy McCain, the head of the World Food Programme, warned that the aid effort was “running on fumes”.However, whilst there is widespread agreement that Haiti urgently needs help to bring about a secure and stable environment, the mission was thrown into disarray by Mr. Henry’s resignation, which prompted Kenya to announce that it would delay the deployment, until the announcement of a new Haitian government.On 21 March, Ulrike Richardson, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Haiti, warned that the violence is now spilling out into new areas of the capital, including formerly peaceful suburbs, following weeks of orchestrated gang attacks on prisons, ports, and hospitals. Ms. Richardson said that human rights violations are widespread; sexual violence, with the use of torture and “collective rape” against women, is rampant, she said.Since the beginning of the latest crisis, marked by a series of coordinated gang attacks at the end of February across Port-au-Prince, which led to a state of emergency and the eventual resignation of Prime Minister Henry, UN workers have continued to distribute aid to the civilian population, despite the hazardous security conditions.
2. The humanitarian response: delivering under fire
The UN, along with partners, has been trying to address the lack of access to clean water: for example, between 16-18 March UNICEF and the NGO Solidarités International delivered 20,500 gallons of water to four sites that are home to over 12,000 displaced people, whilst between 17-20 March the UN migration agency IOM delivered 16,000 gallons of water to two sites.According to media reports, political groups are close to agreeing on a transitional council that would take over presidential powers until elections can be held. It is unclear if and when the council will take power, or when the security mission will begin operating on Haitian soil.Finding a way to end the Haitian crisis has been the subject of several high-level UN meetings. On 21 March the Security Council, the UN organ charged with maintaining international peace and security, issued a press statement reiterating its members support for a “Haitian-led, Haitian-owned political process”, and stressed the need for the international community to redouble its efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to the population and to support the Haitian National Police. The members of the Security Council also expressed grave concern at the illicit flow of arms and ammunition into Haiti that remains, they said, a fundamental factor of instability and violence.Hunger has reached unprecedented levels, according to a new assessment released on 22 March and backed by the UN. According to the report, 4.97 million people face crisis or worse levels of acute food insecurity, including 1.64 million people facing “emergency” levels.
3. The multilateral response
In the meantime, several senior officials from the UN System continue to call for a significant uptick in funding for the humanitarian effort.More and more people are attempting to leave the capital, risking passing through routes controlled by gangs. At least thirty-three thousand left to find refuge in the provinces in March, most of them heading to the Grand Sud departments, a region that already hosts more than 116,000 displaced persons.
4. Funding: A massive gap to fill
UN Photo/Paulo FilgueirasThe senior UN official described a growing humanitarian crisis, with over 362 000 internally displaced persons, a lack of clean water, and less than half of health facilities in Port-au-Prince functioning at normal capacity.Back in October 2023, the Security Council authorized the deployment of a Multinational Security Support (MSS) Mission to Haiti, at the request of the then Government. The resolution was hailed at the time as a historic first, although the mission has yet to be deployed.
5. An uncertain future
Support from the UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, and partner NGOs, is being provided to victims of gender-based violence, in the form of a hotline providing psychosocial assistance, and a sexual and reproductive health/sexual and gender-based violence mobile clinic in one of the sites for internally displaced persons.The World Food Programme (WFP) has distributed some 160,000 hot meals, whilst the World Health Organization (WHO) has delivered a range of essential health supplies, and planes from the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) have flown in around 800kg of blood pouches.The Security Council adopts a resolution authorizing the creation of a Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti in October 2023.© UNOCHA/Giles Clarke