In a dramatic bid to stem the relentless tide of gang violence in Haiti, the United States announced on August 28, 2025, that it is seeking United Nations authorization for a new "Gang Suppression Force" to tackle the spiraling crisis. The move, unveiled by acting U.S. Ambassador Dorothy Shea at a U.N. Security Council meeting, comes as armed groups continue to expand their brutal grip from the capital, Port-au-Prince, into the countryside, leaving millions displaced and the humanitarian situation at a breaking point.
The proposed force, according to Shea, would be established via a draft resolution co-sponsored by the U.S. and Panama. The plan also includes the creation of a U.N. Support Office to provide crucial logistical support—think drones, fuel, ground and air transportation, and other non-lethal resources—to the mission in Haiti. This echoes recommendations made back in February by U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has repeatedly urged the international community to act swiftly and decisively.
But what exactly would set this new force apart from the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support force, which has been on the ground since June 2024? That remains a bit murky. The Kenyan deployment, initially authorized by the Security Council in October 2023, was supposed to field 2,500 troops but currently has fewer than 1,000. Despite their efforts, the force has struggled to make a dent in the gangs' territorial gains, hampered by lack of manpower and resources. As one council diplomat (who spoke anonymously due to the sensitive nature of discussions) explained to the Associated Press, the plan is to "rename and transform" the Kenyan force into the new Gang Suppression Force, significantly increasing its size and capabilities with U.N. logistical backing.
Shea was quick to thank Kenya for "answering Haiti’s call at a critical moment" and for leading the multinational force for more than a year. "Without it, the gangs would have been even more emboldened in their ambitions and brazen atrocities against civilians in Haiti," she said, urging Security Council members to support "this new path towards peace and security." Yet, she stopped short of specifying whether the United States would contribute military or police personnel, or if Kenya and other current contributors—Bahamas, El Salvador, Belize, Guatemala, and Jamaica—would remain involved.
The need for action could hardly be more urgent. According to U.N. estimates, 1.3 million Haitians have been internally displaced by the violence, half of them children. Six million people now require humanitarian assistance, and the U.N.'s appeal for $908 million to help 3.9 million people this year is less than 10% funded, making Haiti the least funded humanitarian appeal in the world. "The humanitarian toll is staggering," Guterres told the Security Council, warning that Haitians "are in a perfect storm of suffering" as state authority crumbles, gang violence spreads, and hospitals and schools come under repeated attack. He called the situation "a life-and-death emergency," cautioning that 1.7 million Haitians risk receiving no assistance at all unless donors act now.
The crisis has grown even more dire for Haiti’s youngest citizens. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell delivered a sobering assessment to the Security Council, reporting a 700% surge in the recruitment and use of children by gangs in the first three months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. "We estimate that children currently account for a staggering 50% of the members of the armed groups active today," Russell said. "Children are being forced into combat roles, directly participating in armed confrontations. Others are being used as couriers, lookouts, porters to carry weapons, or are exploited for domestic labor." The numbers are chilling: in 2024 alone, the U.N. documented over 2,000 grave violations against minors in Haiti—a 500% increase from the previous year.
Gangs have seized near-total control of Port-au-Prince, with up to 90% of the city reportedly under their influence, according to U.N. reports cited by Al Jazeera. The violence has forced nearly 1.3 million people to flee their homes, with blocked roads, limited public services, and skyrocketing prices for basic goods making daily life an ordeal. From October 2024 to June 2025, nearly 5,000 people have lost their lives to gang violence. The U.N. has also warned that most of the guns fueling the mayhem are trafficked from Florida, prompting Guterres to call for stronger enforcement of the arms embargo.
With the situation so bleak, the international community is scrambling for solutions. Seven countries—the United States, Canada, El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Bahamas, and Kenya—have formed a "Standing Group of Partners" to provide high-level strategic direction, oversight, and political decision-making for any revamped security force. Their goal: to secure voluntary financial contributions, facilitate an increase in force numbers, and coordinate efforts, including appointing a special representative in Port-au-Prince.
But not everyone is convinced that more foreign intervention is the answer. Haiti’s own troubled history with colonial and military occupations looms large, fueling skepticism among critics who fear that outside forces could do more harm than good. Still, with the government struggling to regain control, some officials have turned to private security firms for help. Vectus Global, run by former U.S. Navy SEAL Erik Prince—best known for founding the controversial Blackwater firm—has reportedly begun operating in Haiti, deploying mainly drones since March 2025. The company is expected to send nearly 200 personnel from various countries as part of a one-year deal to help recover territory seized by gangs.
Meanwhile, the U.S. government’s own approach to Haitian migrants has drawn criticism. Despite the turmoil, the U.S. announced in June that it would move to revoke protections for Haitians living in the country, opening the door to possible deportations—a move that many advocates say could put vulnerable people at even greater risk.
As the Security Council weighs its next steps, the scale of the challenge in Haiti is hard to overstate. Gangs have become more organized and ruthless, capitalizing on political instability and widespread poverty. The assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021 marked a turning point, plunging the country into deeper chaos and allowing criminal organizations to tighten their grip. Public services have collapsed in many areas, and the cost of food and other essentials has soared, leaving millions hungry and desperate.
For ordinary Haitians, the stakes could not be higher. With children increasingly caught in the crossfire—sometimes literally—the country’s future hangs in the balance. Whether the proposed Gang Suppression Force can turn the tide remains to be seen. But as Guterres put it to the Security Council, "the time to act is now." There is little room left for delay; the world is watching, and for millions of Haitians, hope is running out.