UN Security Council Expected to Approve Gang Suppression Force in Haiti Amid Rising Violence

The United Nations Security Council is urged by Human Rights Watch to swiftly authorize and properly fund a robust international mission to combat the escalating violence and gang control in Haiti, especially as criminal groups have expanded their hold beyond the capital, severely disrupting essential services and displacing nearly 1.5 million people. Since June 2024, the Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support mission has faced significant personnel and funding shortages, hindering its effectiveness, prompting discussions on transforming it into a "Gang Suppression Force" with full UN backing and stringent human rights safeguards. Violence in Haiti has resulted in over 3,000 deaths in the first half of 2025 alone, with acute food insecurity affecting half the population. Concurrently, the U.S. government, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has announced the deportation of a Haitian national involved in violence and gang support due to threats posed to U.S. foreign policy and national security, signaling a firm stance against impunity and destabilizing actors in Haiti. Additionally, the U.S. imposed sanctions on two former Haitian lawmakers for corruption, further emphasizing its commitment to regional security. Haiti's transitional leader, Laurent Saint-Cyr, warned the UN General Assembly of the severe humanitarian crisis, likening it to a modern-day Guernica and calling for urgent international intervention to protect democracy and human rights.