Radios buzzed and neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince hummed with cautious hope this week after the United Nations Security Council approved the creation of a new international force to tackle Haiti’s relentless gang violence. For many in the battered capital, the announcement of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) offers a glimmer of optimism, even as skepticism and uncertainty linger over what comes next.
On October 1, 2025, the Security Council adopted Resolution UNSCR 2793, authorizing the GSF—a 5,550-strong multinational mission led by Kenya—to replace the smaller and struggling Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission. The MSS, which had been in place since October 2023, never reached its target strength of 2,500 personnel and will see its mandate expire on October 2, 2025. The new GSF, with its one-year mandate, is tasked with dismantling armed gangs, securing key infrastructure, and supporting humanitarian access alongside Haitian authorities, according to the United Nations.
For Haitians like Darlene Jean-Jacques, who lost her partner to gang violence and now lives in a crowded shelter with her ten-year-old son, the news is bittersweet. “I’m hoping these people are serious this time,” she told The Associated Press. “A force to come and support Haitians would be wonderful so people can have their life back.”
Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021, Haiti has been gripped by chaos. Armed gangs now control up to 90% of Port-au-Prince and have expanded their reach into the countryside, perpetrating kidnappings, sexual assaults, and killings with impunity. The violence has forced more than 1.3 million people from their homes, left essential services like healthcare and food distribution in tatters, and pushed over five million Haitians into a food crisis, as reported by the United Nations and European Sting.
The GSF’s mandate is notably more robust than its predecessor’s. Unlike the MSS, the new force will have the authority to arrest suspected gang members—a crucial power, say Haitian officials, if there is to be any hope of restoring order. “This vote marks a decisive turning point in the fight against armed criminal groups that devastate our families, cripple our economy, and threaten the future of our Nation,” said Laurent Saint-Cyr, president of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council, in a statement quoted by Le Nouvelliste.
Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aîné echoed this sentiment, calling the resolution “a concrete step toward restoring security and state authority.” He added, “We are determined to break the grip of the gangs, ensure the safety of our fellow citizens, and create the conditions for free, fair, and transparent elections.”
Yet, for all the hope, there is no shortage of apprehension. The mission’s funding remains uncertain. While a United Nations Support Office will provide logistical and operational support, the salaries of personnel will depend on voluntary contributions from member states. Diego Da Rin, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, told The Associated Press that “there have been no meaningful negotiations on who would be ready to provide those funds,” raising concerns that the transition from the MSS to the GSF could stall and leave a dangerous security vacuum.
The outgoing MSS mission—backed by Kenya and launched with much fanfare—failed to demonstrate effectiveness, hamstrung by limited resources and a trust fund of just $112 million, a mere 14% of the estimated $800 million needed annually, according to AP. As of September, it had fewer than 1,000 personnel on the ground, far short of its mandate, and struggled to maintain even basic services for its contingent.
“The international community failed Haiti with [the MSS mission],” Da Rin said. “It didn’t have the opportunity to demonstrate whether it was effective or not.”
For many Haitians, the arrival of yet another international force is met with wary resignation. “It’s a good thing that a new force is coming in, but I hope they’re not like the jokers who are here,” said Mario Jean-Baptiste, who has been living in a shelter with his three children since gangs destroyed their home in Solino last year. “We need people who are really going to go after these guys so that one day we’ll be able to go back home.”
Civil society groups and human rights organizations have also weighed in, warning that the new mission must avoid the abuses seen during previous interventions, especially the controversial MINUSTAH peacekeeping force, which was deployed from 2004 to 2017 and faced repeated allegations of misconduct. The Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights and the Mouvement Point Final stressed the need for a Human Rights Task Force to monitor the GSF and ensure respect for Haiti’s sovereignty and dignity.
“On one hand, it will be a sigh of relief for the Haitian population to be freed from armed gang violence in the short term; on the other hand, it will represent a major blow to Haiti’s national sovereignty,” the MPF said in a statement. “We must work to prevent the damage witnessed during MINUSTAH’s presence in the country.”
The international community, for its part, has rallied behind the new mission. The United States, which co-sponsored the Security Council resolution with Panama, has expressed confidence that enough troops will be sourced from both Africa and the Western Hemisphere. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised to work with partners to ensure the “swift deployment” of the force, stating that it “will address Haiti’s immediate security challenges and lay the groundwork for long-term stability.”
Regional organizations have also pledged support. CARICOM described the GSF as a critical first step toward creating the conditions for elections, humanitarian relief, and the rebuilding of institutions. Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro declared his country “ready to participate in the effort to dismantle gangs in Haiti to overcome violence and allow the Haitian people to express themselves freely.”
Despite the broad international backing, the path ahead is fraught with challenges. The GSF’s full deployment will take time, and the specifics of troop contributions and funding remain unresolved. Meanwhile, gang violence continues unabated, with over 5,600 people killed in 2024 alone and entire neighborhoods emptied as families flee for safety. Schools remain closed, and at least 243,000 children are out of classrooms as the new academic year begins, according to AP and European Sting.
UN officials are quick to stress that security alone cannot resolve Haiti’s deep-rooted crises. The GSF, they say, must be part of a broader strategy including governance reform, humanitarian aid, and long-term development. As the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Albert Ramdin, put it, “We remain committed to working with our partners in support of this mandate and to advancing lasting solutions for Haiti and a more hopeful future for the Haitian people.”
For now, Haitians wait—and hope—for the GSF to deliver on its promise. The coming months will be decisive, not just for restoring security, but for laying the foundations of a future where, as many in Port-au-Prince dare to imagine, families can finally return home.
