As Haiti prepares to hold its first national election in more than a decade, a senior observer mission from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has sounded an urgent alarm over unresolved systemic and security challenges that threaten the credibility of the upcoming poll. The CARICOM Eminent Persons Group, which conducted an on-the-ground assessment of election preparations across Haiti between September 2 and 9, 2026, held wide-ranging consultations with key national stakeholders, including major political parties, civil society organizations, private sector leaders, and commanders of the country’s newly formed Gang Suppression Force. The vote is currently scheduled to hold its first round on December 13, 2026, marking a pivotal step toward ending Haiti’s years-long period of transitional, unelected governance.