A new joint United Nations report released in 2026 has formally acknowledged significant operational progress made by Haiti’s national police force (PNH) in its ongoing campaign against armed gang violence, even as it issues a stark warning that hard-won security gains could be reversed without consistent international backing and continued political commitment from Haitian leaders.
The PNH has publicly welcomed the UN assessment, which highlights the tangible on-ground efforts and incremental advances achieved by the force amid one of the world’s most complex and volatile security environments. The police institution expressed particular satisfaction that the report gives long-overdue international recognition to the work of its specialized tactical units and every rank-and-file officer serving across the country. PNH officials noted that this formal recognition will help international stakeholders gain a clearer, more accurate understanding of the daily operational risks and structural challenges the force confronts as it works to restore state control over gang-held territory.
According to the PNH, the progress documented in the UN report stems directly from the strategic vision and unwavering institutional support provided by Haiti’s national government, whose firm commitment to stabilizing national security has allowed the police to secure the resources needed to expand and strengthen its presence across all regions of the country. Beyond counter-gang operations, the force has also ramped up internal anti-corruption measures and crackdowns on transnational kidnapping and weapons smuggling, leading to multiple high-profile seizures of illegal arms and ammunition at northern Haitian ports and along the country’s land borders, all conducted in strict adherence to international human rights standards, the PNH confirmed.
The joint 2026 report, produced by the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), outlines that intensified counter-gang operations led by Haitian security forces have successfully reclaimed significant swathes of territory in the capital Port-au-Prince, and have established a more visible, consistent police presence in previously gang-held communities. Even as it recognizes these advances, the report emphasizes that the progress remains inherently reversible without sustained international financial, logistical and political support, coupled with enduring political will from Haiti’s governing institutions.
Security forces including the PNH, the Haitian Armed Forces (FAd’H), the specialized Gang Repression Force (FRG), and Vectus Global – an American private security firm founded by former Blackwater head Erik Prince – have retaken pockets of territory from gangs, but heavily armed criminal groups still maintain control over most strategic supply routes that are critical to their weapons trafficking and extortion operations. The report confirms that intensified operations have put unprecedented pressure on gang networks, forcing these groups to adapt their criminal tactics to evade crackdowns. While the shifting pressure has created what the report calls “glimmers of hope” in some urban areas, gangs have responded by expanding their extortion and kidnapping operations into rural regions including the Artibonite and central Haiti, while retaining control or influence over key maritime and road routes that fund their activities.
In a formal statement responding to the UN report, the PNH reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to carrying out its mandate with professionalism, dedication and a steadfast sense of duty, prioritizing the safety of the Haitian people and the restoration of lasting national peace above all other objectives.