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标签： Haiti

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  • Haïti – Actualité : Zapping…

    Haïti – Actualité : Zapping…

    A collection of the latest developments from Haiti, dated June 23, 2026, covers a range of topics across aviation, culture, public service, legal affairs, sports, and anti-corruption initiatives.

    One month after an aborted launch of its new route, Haitian carrier Zed Airlines has announced it will restart scheduled passenger flights between Haiti and Montreal, Quebec, Canada. David Jean Charles, chief executive officer of the airline, confirmed the resumption of the service. Currently, Zed Airlines operates multiple international routes: services to Brazil depart from Port-au-Prince’s Toussaint Louverture International Airport, while flights to Miami and Atlanta run out of Cap-Haïtien. The airline has active expansion plans to add new routes to additional U.S. cities and Cuba, and is evaluating launching domestic services connecting Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital, to Jacmel, Jérémie, and Les Cayes.

    In a cultural ceremony held Sunday, June 21, 2026, at La Réserve Resto in Pétion-ville, Roi St Clou was formally elevated to the rank of National Roi-Ati in Haitian Vodou tradition.

    To mark the United Nations’ World Public Service Day, which falls on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, Haiti’s Office of Management and Human Resources (OMRH) will host an honors ceremony at Hôtel Montana. Eighty public servants, nominated by more than 70 Haitian government institutions, will be recognized by the country’s Prime Minister during the event. All cabinet ministers, agency directors general, and other senior public figures have been invited to attend the official ceremony, where the Prime Minister will deliver a keynote address to attendees.

    In a high-profile legal development, attorneys for prominent Haitian businessman Dimitri Vorbe filed an emergency motion on Monday, June 22, 2026, accusing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of violating a federal court order. Vorbe, 52, has been held in U.S. custody since September 2025. Following severe wildfires in southern Florida, ICE transferred Vorbe from the Krome detention center in Miami to the Natchez, Mississippi correctional facility — a move that directly contradicts a formal order from a U.S. federal judge barring Vorbe from being moved outside the Southern District of Florida. The businessman is facing an expedited expulsion proceeding initiated by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on foreign policy grounds, which he has repeatedly contested amid his challenge to his prolonged detention. Vorbe’s legal team is demanding his immediate return to Miami ahead of his scheduled July 10 court hearing, or alternatively, his immediate release from custody.

    Haiti’s national men’s football team, nicknamed the Grenadiers, held their first training session in Atlanta on the morning of Monday, June 22, as they make final preparations for their decisive final group stage match against Morocco on Wednesday, June 24. The squad reported that players are training with full determination to secure the best possible outcome in the critical upcoming fixture.

    Haiti’s Anti-Corruption Unit (ULCC), in partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), has opened applications for the second edition of its annual anti-corruption summer school. The two-week training program will run from August 10 to August 21, 2026, and is open to undergraduate students enrolled in recognized Haitian universities. Eligible candidates must submit a completed application via the online portal at https://bit.ly/ecoledeteanticorruption, alongside a resume, cover letter, valid government-issued ID, and official proof of university enrollment. Applications will be accepted from June 22 through July 6, 2026, and all participants must be available to attend the full duration of the training program.

  • Haïti – Politique : Formation sur les «Fondamentaux des marchés publics» au bénéfice de cadres du MENFP

    Haïti – Politique : Formation sur les «Fondamentaux des marchés publics» au bénéfice de cadres du MENFP

    In a push to strengthen transparent public resource management across Haiti’s government institutions, Haiti’s National Public Procurement Commission (CNMP) has launched a three-day specialized training program focused on core public procurement fundamentals, designed exclusively for senior technical staff at the country’s Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP).

    The training kicked off on Friday, June 19, 2026, with sessions scheduled across three non-consecutive Fridays: June 19, June 26, and July 3, 2026. Around 20 participants are taking part in the program, most of whom are members of MENFP’s newly established ministerial public procurement commission (CMMP) and senior leadership from the ministry’s Procurement Implementation Unit (UPM).

    The curriculum covers a broad range of critical topics aligned with Haiti’s evolving public procurement framework. Key modules include a deep dive into the country’s legal and regulatory structure governing public contracts, step-by-step guidance on procurement solicitation, monitoring, and contract execution processes, and a breakdown of special regulatory frameworks for different contract types, including client service contracts, supply contracts, and contracts issued during officially declared public emergencies. To ensure participants can apply new skills in real-world scenarios, the program also includes hands-on practical case study analysis, procedural simulation exercises, and applied problem-solving activities built to boost frontline operational capacity.

    Speaking at the official opening of the training, CNMP commissioner Elgo Eugène welcomed MENFP’s recent decision to establish an in-house public procurement commission, a move the CNMP actively encourages. Eugène emphasized the central role that well-regulated public procurement plays in upholding transparency in public sector management. “This work is essential to guarantee consistency, full traceability, and above all, credibility for our entire national procurement system,” he told attendees.

    The new MENFP CMMP, formally established on June 1, 2026, comprises five appointed members: Lutherking Emmanuel MARCADIEU, Jean Astrel MAGLOIRE, Myrlène Jean-Baptiste SÉIDE, Rigaud MATHURIN, and Ardine PLAISIR.

    Woodly Simon, Chief of Staff to MENFP Minister Vijonet Déméro, framed effective public procurement as a core lever of functional public action. “At the ministry, transparent, efficient, rule-compliant management is non-negotiable to ensure we get the most value out of every public resource,” Simon explained. He added that upskilling the ministry’s procurement leadership is a strategic investment that will improve activity planning, streamline program execution, and advance responsible stewardship of public funds.

    Lead trainer Marie Aurore Élisabeth Barthélemy Dalencourt further emphasized the broader societal and economic impact of well-managed public procurement. “When public procurement is governed by the principles of transparency, equity, and efficiency, it directly strengthens good governance and improves the quality of services delivered to all Haitian citizens,” she said. “Every actor involved in public contracting has a responsibility to uphold regulatory standards and best practices to ensure public resources are used to their maximum potential.”

  • Haïti – Politique : Fructueux échanges entre Raina Forbin et Albert Ramdin

    Haïti – Politique : Fructueux échanges entre Raina Forbin et Albert Ramdin

    On the sidelines of the 56th Ordinary Session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS), high-level diplomatic talks between Haiti’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Raina Forbin and OAS Secretary General Albert R. Ramdin yielded constructive progress on the Caribbean nation’s ongoing political transition and security crisis, according to official reporting from HaitiLibre.

    The closed-door discussion centered on three core pillars: Haiti’s current unstable domestic situation, the cascading challenges facing the country’s transitional government, and the future of collaborative partnership between the OAS and Haitian national authorities.

    Minister Forbin used the meeting to reaffirm the Haitian government’s full commitment to advancing its transition goals, with backing from the global diplomatic community. She stressed that the administration is prioritizing two urgent objectives: restoring widespread security across the country and organizing credible, fully inclusive, and peaceful elections as quickly as possible to bring the current transitional period to a successful conclusion.

    In response, Secretary General Ramdin made clear that the OAS remains fully dedicated to supporting Haiti-led efforts to stabilize the nation, strengthen fragile democratic institutions, and create the conditions required for the Haitian people to freely select their own leadership. Ramdin outlined the non-negotiable prerequisites for progress, noting that meaningful change will require tangible advancements in public security, a shared commitment to political responsibility among national stakeholders, consistent focus on unmet humanitarian needs, systematic institutional capacity building, and clear, unified buy-in from all Haitian political and social actors.

    Ramdin further emphasized that coordinated, tangible support from the broader international community is critical to delivering measurable progress across three key areas: public security, democratic governance, and institutional strengthening. The talks also extended to coordination frameworks, with both sides agreeing on the urgent need to maintain close, aligned collaboration between Haiti, the OAS, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the United Nations, and other international partners. This coordinated approach, they agreed, will best support Haitian authorities’ ongoing work to stabilize the country and clear the path for planned elections.

    Minister Forbin welcomed Ramdin’s stated commitment to continued open dialogue with Haiti’s national leadership. Ahead of his planned visit to Haiti in the coming weeks, Ramdin outlined his next steps: he will travel to the country to hold in-depth consultations with national authorities, political and social stakeholders, regional partners, and representatives of the international community. He confirmed that the OAS will maintain close, ongoing collaboration with Haiti, CARICOM, the UN, and other partners to streamline collective efforts and advance tangible, on-the-ground progress.

    By the conclusion of the meeting, both Forbin and Ramdin reaffirmed their shared commitment to sustaining close cooperation in service of three long-term priorities for Haiti: lasting domestic stability, strengthened rule of law, and a permanent return to constitutional order.

  • Haïti – Baccalauréat : Inscriptions des élèves HPI (surdoués)

    Haïti – Baccalauréat : Inscriptions des élèves HPI (surdoués)

    In a move aimed at building a more inclusive, responsive national education system that accommodates the unique needs of all learners, Haiti’s Minister of National Education Vijonet Déméro has formally announced new, structured procedures for early baccalauréat registration for high-potential intellectually gifted (HPI) students, ahead of the 2026-2027 academic year’s first permanent baccalauréat session.

    Gifted students, who exhibit far faster learning paces than their peer group, often require targeted support to reach their full potential—most commonly through grade acceleration that allows them to advance through the education system at a rate matching their abilities. Until now, however, formal pathways to clear these accelerated tracks for official national examination eligibility have been inconsistent. Déméro’s new circular, labeled C-11 / 1137, formalizes eligibility requirements and institutional roles to regularize these exceptional students’ academic journeys and guarantee them legitimate access to the baccalauréat, Haiti’s key secondary school completion and university entrance examination.

    To qualify for early examination access as a gifted candidate, student’s original schools must submit a complete, verified application package that meets four core requirements. First, applications must include a psycho-pedagogical evaluation report completed by a licensed school psychologist, which has been validated by the ministry’s own School and Professional Orientation Unit (UNOSP). This report must confirm both the student’s intellectual giftedness and sufficient socio-emotional maturity to handle advanced academic work and early examination. Second, candidates must provide graded academic transcripts demonstrating sustained academic excellence and an exceptional overall grade average. Third, applications require a formally justified recommendation letter from the director of the student’s original school, which explains and validates any grade skips the student has already completed. Finally, written, signed consent from the student’s parents, legal guardian or social worker is required to move forward with the application.

    The circular also outlines clear, segmented responsibilities for the four national education bodies involved in the process to ensure accountability and transparency. Departmental Education Directorates (DDE) are tasked with receiving, reviewing, and validating individual student applications. After confirming that grade acceleration procedures are compliant with national rules, DDEs will send a certified additional candidate list to either the Directorate of Fundamental Education (DEF) or the Directorate of Secondary Education (DES), depending on the student’s track. The DEF and DES, in turn, are responsible for centralizing all incoming requests, issuing final rulings on the equivalence of accelerated academic pathways, and issuing a formal technical compliance statement for eligible candidates. Finally, the National Bureau of State Examinations (BUNEXE), which administers the baccalauréat, is authorized to bypass standard age and curriculum track restrictions in the national online registration system once it receives a compliance notice validated by the Directorate General, allowing the bureau to generate official examination access cards for these gifted candidates.

    All heads of the involved institutions are required to enforce the new rules strictly and transparently, with the policy taking effect immediately upon publication of the circular. The Ministry of National Education emphasized that it relies on the proactive, diligent collaboration of all actors across Haiti’s education ecosystem to implement the new framework effectively. The policy is rooted in a core goal: to celebrate academic excellence, and give young Haitian gifted talents the structured opportunity to fully develop their skills and advance their education on a timeline that fits their unique abilities.

  • Haïti – Sécurité : Construction de cinq bases opérationnelles avancées à Port-au-Prince

    Haïti – Sécurité : Construction de cinq bases opérationnelles avancées à Port-au-Prince

    On the sidelines of the 56th Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly, which is being hosted in Panama City from June 22 to 24, 2026, regional and international stakeholders have formally launched a joint security initiative aimed at stabilizing crisis-hit Haiti. The partnership between the European Union and the OAS will deliver five new Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in Haiti’s capital Port-au-Prince, a critical investment to boost the Haitian National Police (PNH)’s capacity to combat widespread armed violence and arms trafficking.

    Centered on the guiding theme “Safer societies: EU-OAS cooperation to counter firearms trafficking”, the project targets a longstanding gap in operational infrastructure for Haiti’s national security forces, who have struggled to regain control of territory seized by violent armed gangs in recent years. Funded through the European Union’s Foreign Policy Instrument, the initiative carries a total budget of 10 million euros, equivalent to approximately 11.6 million U.S. dollars, with all construction work scheduled for completion by the middle of 2027.

    Speaking on behalf of the Haitian government, Haitian Foreign Minister Raina Forbin welcomed the collaborative project, noting that it aligns fully with the country’s top national security priorities. Forbin emphasized that the new FOBs will directly expand the presence of security forces in high-risk gang-controlled areas and help consolidate gains in territory that has already been recaptured by government forces. In a pre-recorded address to the launch event, PNH Director General Vladimir Paraison provided an update on the evolving security landscape, outlining progress that national security forces have made in ongoing efforts to restore public order and reassert state control over territory impacted by gang violence.

    OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin reaffirmed his organization’s long-term commitment to supporting Haiti’s efforts to achieve national stabilization and strengthen state institutions. “At a time when Haiti faces profound and complex challenges, this partnership between the OAS and the European Union marks an important step in the right direction,” Ramdin said. “It demonstrates the confidence placed in Haiti’s institutions and the resilience of the Haitian people, as well as our shared determination to support a safer, more stable and hopeful future for Haiti.” Ramdin also stressed the urgent need for the full deployment of the planned Gang Suppression Force (FRG), a key component of Haiti’s national security strategy to push back against armed groups.

    Delphine Pronk, Deputy Director General for the Americas at the European External Action Service (EEAS), also spoke at the launch, underlining the EU’s commitment to delivering tangible support to Haiti at this decisive juncture. Pronk noted that the construction of the five advanced operating bases is a concrete step toward creating a safer, more functional operational environment for Haitian security forces as they work to restore peace across the country. The launch event was also attended by Carlos Hoyos, Deputy Foreign Minister of Panama, the host nation for this year’s OAS General Assembly.

  • Haïti – Actualité : Zapping…

    Haïti – Actualité : Zapping…

    As Haiti’s national men’s football team prepares for its final 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage match against Morocco on June 24, long-serving starting goalkeeper Johny Placide has announced he will bring an end to his 15-year international career following the fixture. The 37-year-old shot-stopper earned 83 caps for the Grenadiers, Haiti’s national team, over the course of his international tenure.

    Beyond the pitch, multiple developing stories across Haiti and beyond have emerged in the latest 24-hour news cycle, dated June 22, 2026. On Sunday June 21, Haiti’s specialized anti-gang unit, the Force de Répression des Gangs (FRG), carried out a targeted security operation in the Tabarre district of the country’s capital region. During the operation, officers seized and destroyed hundreds of Molotov cocktails that had been stockpiled in the area. Several suspects were arrested and transferred to Haitian law enforcement authorities for processing.

    The operation came under gunfire from unknown assailants while it was underway, but FRG commanders confirmed the situation was brought under control in line with official rules of engagement. No officers or civilians were killed or injured in the incident. The targeted neighborhood has been fully secured, and will remain under ongoing patrol and surveillance in the coming days to prevent renewed gang activity.

    In the country’s southern department, a fatal multi-vehicle crash in the town of Cavaillon left four people dead on Sunday. The collision involved a heavy truck, a motorcycle taxi, and a light pickup van. The victims include both passengers of the motorcycle taxi, the truck’s driver, and a civilian passerby who was in the wrong place at the time of the incident. Investigators have not yet determined the root cause of the crash, and a formal investigation into the disaster is now open.

    As the Grenadiers prepare for their final World Cup group stage fixture, Haiti’s Tourism Minister Stéphanie Smith released a statement praising the team’s performance at the global tournament. “Every match you have played shows your commitment to the nation and your willingness to defend Haiti’s colors with honor,” Smith’s statement read. “Through your talent and perseverance, you have made an entire nation vibrate with pride and contributed to Haiti’s positive standing around the world.” She added that the Ministry of Tourism extends its full confidence and best wishes for success ahead of the Morocco match, saying “The entire nation stands behind you. Grenadye Alaso!”

    In an international update related to Haiti, Chile’s Investigation Police (PDI) confirmed that investigators have located 33 of the 64 Haitian children previously reported missing in a recent report from Chile’s Office of the Comptroller General, in a case linked to alleged child trafficking. “Of the 64 unaccounted for minors, we have already recovered 33 children who are living with their parents, siblings, or other family members,” PDI Director General Eduardo Cerna confirmed. The recovered children account for just over 50 percent of the total number of missing minors initially reported.

    For football fans following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the tournament’s format for the knockout round has been confirmed: the top two teams from each of the 12 groups, totaling 24 sides, will advance to the round of 16. They will be joined by the eight highest-ranked third-place teams from across the group stage, bringing the total number of knockout stage competitors to 32 teams that will compete in a single-elimination bracket for the World Cup title.

  • Haïti – Concours de plaidoirie : Réouverture de la liste d’inscriptions complémentaires

    Haïti – Concours de plaidoirie : Réouverture de la liste d’inscriptions complémentaires

    Organizers of Haiti’s 9th annual National Human Rights Moot Court Competition have announced a late registration window for prospective participants, giving eligible law students and recent graduates an additional opportunity to join the July 2026 event set to take place in Port-au-Prince. The Bureau des Droits Humains en Haïti (BDHH), the organizing body behind the competition, confirmed that the supplementary preselection registration list will close at 8:00 p.m. local time on Friday, June 26, 2026. All new applications must be submitted via the official online form hosted at https://forms.gle/bWwBjBoP89SHBfUB9.

    This year’s competition is open to a defined pool of eligible candidates: law students who have completed a minimum of three years of study at any recognized Haitian university, including fourth-year enrollees and candidates currently working on their undergraduate thesis. Eligibility is also extended to law graduates who earned their license within the past three years. The competition bars participants who are already enrolled at the Haitian Bar School or have taken the oath as a trainee attorney. In addition, candidates who previously advanced to the final round (including semi-finalists, finalists, and past winners) of earlier editions of the competition are not eligible to compete again, though past participants who did not reach the final stage are welcome to reapply.

    Candidates who submitted their applications during earlier registration phases do not need to resubmit materials, but organizers ask that all previously registered candidates reach out to the competition coordination team to confirm their availability for the remainder of the selection process.

    The competition is structured in two distinct stages: a written preselection round, followed by the live oral argument competition scheduled for July 2026 in Port-au-Prince. Preselected candidates will receive further details about the rules and logistics for the oral stage ahead of the event.

    This year’s written preselection centers on the timely theme: “Climate Justice and Economic Development.” Submitted dissertations will be evaluated by a panel of judges based on four core criteria: thematic relevance, strength of argumentation, depth of legal knowledge, and demonstrated commitment to human rights principles.

    Organizers have outlined clear formatting requirements for all written submissions to ensure consistency. Dissertations must not exceed three pages, must be formatted in 12-point Times New Roman font with single line spacing. Exceeding the page limit will count against candidates during evaluation. All submissions must be saved as either a Word or PDF file, and named using the format “CONCOURS9_LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME”.

    All applications require supporting documentation to verify candidate eligibility, which may include a transcript or completion certificate for third-year studies, proof of enrollment in fourth-year law, a fourth-year transcript, a thesis defense record, or an official law degree license. Incomplete applications or submissions received after the June 26 deadline will not be considered for evaluation.

    After submitting an application, candidates will receive an automatic confirmation email to acknowledge receipt of their materials. Results of the written preselection round will be announced via both email and the BDHH official website (www.bdhhaiti.org) by the end of June 2026. For candidates with questions about eligibility, the application process, or competition logistics, the BDHH can be reached via email at concours@bdhhaiti.org or by phone at +509 3606-8645, and additional information is posted on the organization’s website.

  • Haïti – Politique : La Chancelière Forbin en Mission au Panama

    Haïti – Politique : La Chancelière Forbin en Mission au Panama

    On June 22, 2026, Haitian Foreign Minister Raina Forbin launched an official diplomatic mission to Panama, where she is set to participate in two major hemispheric and regional governance gatherings: the 31st ordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Association of Caribbean States (AEC) and the 56th ordinary session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS).

    Over the course of her mission, Forbin will take part in core ministerial deliberations, plenary sessions, and a series of bilateral meetings with both regional and international partners. These discussions are centered on advancing the Haitian government’s top national priorities, which include strengthening domestic security, laying the groundwork for upcoming national elections, driving post-crisis economic recovery, and expanding both regional and international cooperation partnerships.

    Alongside the official conference agenda, Forbin will hold dedicated consultations with Haiti’s international partners. The core goals of these talks are to reinforce existing cooperative frameworks and mobilize greater global support for Haitian authorities’ ongoing efforts to restore nationwide security, solidify democratic state institutions, and facilitate a return to full constitutional order.

    Already on June 21, ahead of the main conference proceedings, Forbin held a bilateral meeting with her Chilean counterpart, Francisco Pérez Mackenna. The two diplomats pledged to deepen collaborative work to address the unresolved situation of Haitian minor children currently residing in Chile, an issue that has gained public attention amid recent allegations of child trafficking originating from Haiti.

    During the meeting, Mackenna formally requested Haitian institutional cooperation to support monitoring and follow-up work for Haitian minors who have arrived in Chile. He also confirmed that Marco Aguayo, Chile’s special envoy, will travel to Port-au-Prince later this week. Aguayo’s mission will focus on gathering on-the-ground information to clarify the status of family reunification processes, formally document the legal status of each Haitian child in Chile, and update operational protocols to enable the reopening of Chile’s consular section in Port-au-Prince.

  • Haïti – Préscolaire au Secondaire : Volume minimal de jours de classe et charge horaire annuelle.

    Haïti – Préscolaire au Secondaire : Volume minimal de jours de classe et charge horaire annuelle.

    On June 22, 2026, Haiti’s Minister of National Education, Vijonet Déméro, issued an official circular establishing binding national minimum academic time requirements for all education levels from preschool through secondary school, aimed at guaranteeing equitable, high-quality learning outcomes for students across the entire country.

    The new framework sets a consistent 36-week academic year and 180 required instructional days across all grade bands, with adjusted weekly and annual hourly targets tailored to each educational stage. For preschool programs, the rule mandates 24 hours of instruction per week, adding up to an 864-hour annual minimum. For the first and second cycles of fundamental education, the weekly requirement rises to 25 hours, resulting in a 900-hour annual total. Both the third cycle of fundamental education and all secondary education levels are required to deliver 30 hours of instruction weekly, reaching a 1,080-hour annual minimum.

    The circular clarifies that only days actively dedicated to teaching, learning activities, student assessments, and direct pedagogical support count toward the required 180-day total, excluding administrative or non-instructional days from the official count.

    To enforce compliance, the policy outlines clear implementation and accountability rules. All schools are required to align their annual academic calendars with the national calendar published yearly by Haiti’s Ministry of National Education and Professional Training (MENFP), which is structured around the new hourly quotas. In cases where unplanned, forced school interruptions occur—such as severe weather events, socio-political unrest, or other public emergencies—school leadership is legally required to implement immediate make-up instruction measures. All contingency recovery plans must receive formal approval from the relevant local Department of Education (DDE) to ensure the full annual hourly quota is met. Local DDE bodies are also tasked with conducting regular, rigorous compliance audits of both public and private educational institutions across their jurisdictions.

    Transitional provisions confirm that the new standards take effect immediately upon publication of the circular. The MENFP’s general directorate and relevant technical departments are responsible for widespread dissemination of the new rules and monitoring strict implementation. In closing the circular, the Ministry called on all stakeholders within Haiti’s education system to uphold their commitments to ensure all Haitian children access the guaranteed instructional time they are entitled to.

  • MSF suspends operations at the Isaïe Jeanty maternity hospital in Haiti

    MSF suspends operations at the Isaïe Jeanty maternity hospital in Haiti

    A deepening humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Haiti’s most densely populated urban neighborhood after international medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières, MSF) announced the full suspension of life-saving services at the Isaïe Jeanty Maternity Hospital, a key healthcare facility serving the Cité Soleil area of Port-au-Prince. The shutdown, which took effect on the morning of June 19, comes after more than a week of escalating violent clashes between rival armed groups that have turned the surrounding district into a combat zone.

    Tensions began to spike on the night of June 13-14, when open fighting erupted across three adjacent neighborhoods: Belekou, Fort-Dimanche, and Quai Jérémie. The violence quickly spilled over into the Chancerelles neighborhood, where the MSF-supported maternity hospital is located. Stray gunfire has repeatedly struck the hospital’s outer walls, sending waves of panic through the local population and forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes in search of safety. By the evening of June 15, more than 100 displaced people, the majority women and children who escaped the fighting, had taken shelter within the hospital compound, where MSF teams were able to provide them with clean drinking water. One of those displaced was a woman who suffered a leg wound from a stray bullet while on hospital grounds; MSF medics provided immediate on-site treatment, while additional casualties from the clashes were treated at MSF’s separate medical facility in the Tabarre district of the capital.

    Local authorities were the first to suspend their operations at the site on the morning of June 16, after fighting intensified further. MSF teams remained on location for three additional days, working with reduced staffing to deliver emergency care, stabilize injured and pregnant patients, and arrange transfers to other functioning medical facilities across Port-au-Prince. As the security situation continued to deteriorate, however, MSF made the difficult decision to evacuate all remaining staff and shut down all hospital activities permanently for the time being.

    Speaking on the suspension, Nicolas Tessier, MSF’s Head of Mission in Haiti, described the impossible conditions medical teams had been working under. “We have tried to provide a minimum level of lifesaving support to people with a reduced team and limited capacity,” Tessier explained. “We treated several women who managed to reach the maternity hospital despite the insecurity, including one who gave birth to twins. But today we can no longer continue: the hospital is riddled with bullet holes, our teams are exhausted, and it has become extremely difficult for ambulances to refer patients and find facilities able to receive them.”

    The shutdown of the facility has pushed an already catastrophic healthcare situation in Cité Soleil over the edge. The neighborhood is home to roughly 300,000 residents, and even before the latest wave of violence, access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive healthcare was already extremely limited across the area. Thousands of pregnant women had already been forced to deliver babies at home in unsafe, unsanitary conditions, dramatically raising their risk of life-threatening obstetric complications. With the Isaïe Jeanty hospital now closed, access to such care has become virtually non-existent, leaving local women with almost no viable options to get safe medical treatment.

    This is not the first time MSF has been forced to halt services in the area due to gang violence. Back in May, the organization suspended operations at its general hospital in Cité Soleil, located just a few kilometers from the maternity facility. As gang-related violence continues to spread and security conditions worsen across the region, the entire local healthcare system is now at risk of total collapse. MSF has issued an urgent call for armed groups to respect international humanitarian law, protect civilian lives and infrastructure, and allow medical teams unimpeded access to treat people in desperate need of care.