标签： Haiti

A new United Nations quarterly human rights report released in early May 2026 has painted a grim portrait of persistent insecurity across Haiti, confirming that more than 1,600 people were killed in gang-related and violence-linked deaths between January and March this year. As documented by the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), the official death toll for the first quarter stands at 1,642, making this the fourth deadliest three-month period recorded in the country since 2022. An additional 745 people sustained injuries in the wave of violence that has gripped the Caribbean nation.

Carlos Ruiz Massieu, who serves as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Haiti and head of BINUH, emphasized that even limited progress in stabilizing parts of the capital has not alleviated the daily suffering of most Haitian citizens. “Despite security advances in certain areas of downtown Port-au-Prince, insecurity is daily and unbearable for a large number of Haitians, and violence continues to spread beyond the capital, particularly in Artibonite and the Centre,” Massieu stated.

Recent operations by Haitian security forces have yielded small gains over the past quarter, building on trends that emerged at the end of 2025. Security pushbacks have slowed the territorial expansion of major armed gangs in the core of Port-au-Prince, and led to a measurable drop in organized criminal activity across several residential neighborhoods of the capital. But these limited gains have done little to curb atrocities in areas that remain under gang control, where armed groups continue to systematically violate basic human rights. Reported abuses include targeted assassinations of community members, widespread kidnapping for ransom, coercive extortion rackets, and deliberate destruction of civilian property.

The violence has increasingly spilled outward from the capital into rural and peri-urban regions, with some of the deadliest attacks recorded in the Artibonite department in late March. Between March 29 and 31, gang fighters launched coordinated, pre-planned assaults on 16 different communities in Lower Artibonite, a region that hosts multiple local self-defense groups formed by residents to protect their neighborhoods from incursions. The attack left at least 83 local residents dead and another 38 injured; witness accounts included harrowing details of victims being dragged from their homes in the middle of the night and executed execution-style in front of their families.

The BINUH report also documented widespread sexual violence perpetrated by gang members against civilian populations over the quarter. In total, investigators confirmed at least 292 cases of sexual abuse, including gang rapes and organized sexual exploitation, with the vast majority of victims being women and adolescent girls between the ages of 12 and 17.

Beyond gang-perpetrated violence, the report also raised serious alarms about alleged abuses by state security actors. BINUH received consistent allegations of summary executions and attempted extrajudicial killings involving members of the Haitian National Police, most of which were documented in specific neighborhoods of Port-au-Prince. These alleged incidents have left 33 civilians dead and seven others injured. Following the submission of BINUH’s findings, the Inspector General of the Haitian National Police has launched formal investigations into every documented case.

The full 24-page quarterly report on human rights conditions in Haiti covering January to March 2026 is available for public download via HaitiLibre, the local Haitian news outlet that published the initial report findings.

As the second International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) — hosted by the United Nations at its New York headquarters — drew to a close on Friday, May 8, 2026, Haiti’s Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Marc-Elie Nelson delivered a key address calling on all UN member states to deepen cross-border collaboration to tackle the growing challenges of global migration management.

Speaking to delegates on Haiti’s behalf, Nelson outlined the unique pressures the Caribbean nation faces, from surging irregular migration flows and devastating brain drain to the urgent need to expand protections for Haitian citizens residing and working outside the country’s borders. Against this backdrop, he highlighted the coordinated domestic reforms and initiatives the Haitian government has rolled out in recent years to bring more structure and fairness to migration movement.

The cornerstone of these efforts is the National Migration Policy, a formal strategic framework adopted by the administration in 2023 that guides all government action on migration issues. This foundational policy has allowed the government to roll out a targeted contingency plan aligned with the 23 core objectives of the UN Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, designed specifically to support the arrival and integration of returning Haitian migrants from the Dominican Republic. It also cleared the way for the development of a national care protocol for migrants, funded through a financial partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Nelson emphasized that guaranteeing all migrants equal access to critical basic services — including healthcare, primary and secondary education, and formal social protection — is a non-negotiable priority for his government. To advance this goal, Haiti’s 2025-2026 national budget has allocated 152 million gourdes to construct a new transitional accommodation center in the border town of Belladère. Since October 2025, the minister confirmed, the Haitian government has already welcomed and processed more than 170,000 returning migrants, upholding commitments to treat all people with full respect and human dignity throughout the process.

In closing remarks, Nelson argued that future progress in global migration governance depends on targeted investment in data-driven policy, expanded pathways for regular, legal migration, and more aggressive coordinated action to dismantle transnational human trafficking networks. He concluded by urging the global community to adopt a unified approach to migration that centers humanity, inclusion, and full respect for the human rights of all migrants, regardless of their origin or immigration status.

Haiti’s deepening food insecurity crisis has received a critical boost, after the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) announced Wednesday, May 6, that it has secured more than $16 million in new funding from the Regional Humanitarian Fund for Latin America and the Caribbean. The allocation will deliver life-saving emergency food assistance to hundreds of thousands of the most vulnerable people across three of Haiti’s hardest-hit departments: Artibonite, Centre, and West.

Against a backdrop of spiraling hunger that has pushed millions of Haitians into acute food insecurity, this funding will underpin a targeted emergency humanitarian intervention focused on rapidly cutting rates of severe food insecurity while protecting local food production systems. Unlike traditional food aid distributions that rely on imported delivered food stocks, the FAO’s innovative model centers on supporting small-scale local production to help affected households rebuild their own food access long-term.

Under the program, FAO teams will distribute custom emergency food production kits to 326,600 people classified as facing acute food insecurity at IPC Phase 3 or higher — a tier that marks significant food consumption gaps and heightened risk of malnutrition. Each kit includes short-cycle crop seeds designed for fast harvests and small livestock including goats, chickens, and ducks, which will help restore the production and food consumption capacity of vulnerable households.

The model combines fast-acting agricultural inputs with small-scale livestock rearing to deliver immediate improvements to household access to protein and nutrient-dense food, with visible results starting within just days of distribution. To ensure that beneficiaries are able to use the resources effectively, the program also includes ongoing technical guidance and regular follow-up visits from local agricultural experts.

Designed to deliver tangible outcomes within 90 days of distribution — and in some cases even faster depending on the type of input — each single kit is projected to cover the complete food needs of a five-person household for close to six months. Beyond meeting immediate hunger needs, the kits empower families to grow their own food, helping them regain food sovereignty with dignity rather than relying on long-term external aid.

Working alongside Haiti’s Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development, the FAO will coordinate directly with rural community groups to implement the program, ensuring that assistance reaches the people who need it most and translates quickly into tangible improvements in food access.

Pierre Vauthier, FAO Representative in Haiti, highlighted the unique value of this community-centered production-focused model. “The importance of these interventions lies in their ability to enable households to quickly meet their own food needs, regardless of the circumstances, while reducing the need for irreversible survival strategies,” Vauthier explained. “They thus help save lives while, in the long term, reducing dependence on external aid.”

On Wednesday, May 6, 2026, Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin delivered a comprehensive progress update to the bloc’s Permanent Council in Washington, D.C., detailing the hemispheric body’s ongoing work to support stability and development in crisis-stricken Haiti. The update outlined measurable advances across five core priority areas: political mediation, electoral system preparation, security sector assistance, international coordination, and expansion of the OAS’s institutional footprint within Haiti.

Ramdin emphasized that all OAS initiatives are centered on the principle of Haitian-led solutions, with a core focus on aligning national and international stakeholders and moving toward structured implementation of the widely endorsed Haiti Roadmap for Stability and Peace.

One of the most critical achievements highlighted by the Secretary General was the OAS’s intervention during the period surrounding February 7, 2026, a window marked by severe institutional uncertainty in the Caribbean nation. Leveraging its formal good offices mandate, behind-the-scenes quiet diplomacy, and coordinated outreach to Haitian authorities, regional bodies, and global partners, the OAS played a key role in preserving executive branch continuity and preventing a far-reaching collapse of state institutions.

On the electoral front, Ramdin noted that the December 2025 adoption of Haiti’s Electoral Decree marked a key turning point, shifting the process from broad planning to concrete, organized preparation. Through its Department of Electoral Cooperation and Observation, the OAS maintains an ongoing technical working group with Haiti’s Provisional Electoral Council, responding to requests for support in critical areas including electoral technology, voter information systems, and institutional capacity building.

In the security domain, the OAS has evolved its support from planning to active operational assistance, Ramdin reported. Current engagement includes backing for the civilian component of Haiti’s Gang Suppression Force (GSF), alongside targeted initiatives to upgrade national police capacities, improve security infrastructure, deliver specialized training, strengthen anti-gang financial investigations, and boost security at Haiti’s key maritime ports and coastal borders.

Ramdin also spotlighted progress on the development of the Haiti Roadmap Dashboard, a transparency and coordination tool designed to provide clearer visibility, full traceability, and greater accountability for all contributions and advances made by the international community. The first phase of the platform, which maps all ongoing OAS-led projects, is already complete, and the second phase will integrate data on bilateral support provided by individual OAS member states. Ramdin called on member state delegations to submit any outstanding contribution data to ensure the platform accurately captures the full scope of collective global support for Haiti.

Haiti’s Permanent Representative to the OAS, Jean Josué Pierre, confirmed that the Secretary General’s report aligned with on-the-ground conditions in his country. He noted that while progress remains modest, Haiti is now seeing tangible signs of hope, with the capital gradually reclaiming space for normal daily life, peace, and improved security after years of widespread gang violence and institutional collapse. Pierre stressed that the immediate priority is to consolidate current gains and scale up international and national efforts. He also announced that Haiti would submit a draft resolution titled “Support for Haitian-Led Stabilization and Strengthening Coordination of Hemispheric Assistance” for debate at the upcoming OAS General Assembly, scheduled to take place in Panama in June 2026.

In additional procedural updates, Ramdin confirmed that ahead of the June 22–24 General Assembly in Panama, the OAS will convene a new meeting of the Group of Friends of Haiti. The gathering will serve to review accumulated progress, align on next steps for implementation, and mobilize additional resources and political backing for the priorities laid out in the Haiti stabilization roadmap.

Closing his presentation, Ramdin noted that the path to long-term stability in Haiti will continue to require consistent determination, coordinated action, and a shared commitment to Haitian sovereignty. “The road ahead will continue to require determination, coordination, and a shared sense of purpose. The OAS stands ready to continue contributing to this effort as a platform for alignment, a facilitator of dialogue, and a partner in implementation,” he said.

On June 5, 2026, senior Haitian government officials and leaders of the United Nations System in Haiti convened a critical working session focused on advancing the country’s urgent economic stabilization and recovery agenda, laying out clear collaborative next steps to address the Caribbean nation’s ongoing humanitarian and development challenges.

Leading the Haitian government delegation was Sandra Paulemon, Haiti’s Minister of Planning and External Cooperation, who was joined by Guy Roméo Latry, the Ministry’s Director General, and Paul Ruddy Mentor, Paulemon’s Chief of Staff. On the United Nations side, the meeting was hosted by Nicole Kouassi, UN Resident Coordinator in Haiti, alongside her specialized technical team.

The two sides centered discussions on five core priorities, starting with the governance of the UN-Haiti Global Cooperation Framework and the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) steering committee. Additional agenda items included progress updates on Haiti’s Strategic Development Plan (PSDH), the finalization of the mid-term report for the Doha Development Agenda, and the rollout of Haiti’s national economic stabilization and recovery program.

This flagship recovery program is explicitly aligned with the Haitian government’s top national priorities, which center on enabling the safe return of displaced citizens to their home neighborhoods and the resumption of schooling for children across the country. It also prioritizes expanded access to safe drinking water and the rollout of a suite of essential social initiatives designed to rebuild Haiti’s damaged economic and community fabric.

In her opening remarks to the session, Minister Paulemon clarified the institutional leadership structure for the program: strategic direction is set by the Office of the Prime Minister, while the Ministry of Economy and Finance serves as technical coordinator and carries responsibility for all budgetary oversight.

Intervention zones for the recovery program have been selected through a multi-criteria assessment that weighs a region’s level of vulnerability, existing security pressures, and untapped economic potential. The program’s primary focus areas are fragile urban communities, strategic border transit corridors, and key agricultural basins that play a critical role in advancing national food security and creating much-needed local jobs.

Paulemon underlined the urgent need to mobilize international funding that is coordinated, predictable, and rapidly deployable to deliver tangible, on-the-ground improvements that directly improve the lives of the Haitian people. “The Haitian population cannot afford to wait for relief and recovery,” she emphasized, noting that the program’s goals extend beyond enabling displaced people to return home to rebuilding the lost household capital of vulnerable communities.

During negotiations, the Minister called for a revamped comprehensive cooperation framework between Haiti and the UN that is centered on measurable results and fully aligned with the government’s three core priorities: expanding national security, driving inclusive economic and social recovery, and laying the groundwork for upcoming national elections.

For his part, Guy Roméo Latry stressed that the Ministry of Planning and the United Nations system must reach consensus on clear, concrete deliverables embedded within the overall cooperation framework. He reiterated that the framework must deliver results that are tangible, visible, and measurable to the Haitian public, calling for an impact-first working approach that turns formal commitments into immediate, direct action that benefits local communities.

Paulemon and Kouassi also dedicated discussion to aligning Haiti’s Strategic Development Plan with the government’s current urgent priorities. The Minister called for expanded regular technical exchanges between planning department teams and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office to align strategic references and eliminate any ambiguity around the strategic foundation for external development support to Haiti.

The working session also yielded tangible progress on two key administrative priorities: negotiators moved closer to finalizing the mid-term report of the Doha Development Agenda, and agreed on preliminary terms for the organizational structure and membership of the Peacebuilding Fund steering committee.

By the close of the meeting, both sides confirmed that the session had successfully consolidated strategic alignment between Haiti’s Ministry of Planning and the United Nations system. Participants recorded meaningful progress on strengthening governance mechanisms for both the Global Cooperation Framework and the Peacebuilding Fund, and established a clear timeline and roadmap for the next phases of implementing the national economic stabilization plan.