Haiti Calls for Extension of UN Anti-Gang Task Force Mandate

Haitian Foreign Minister Raina Forbin stresses that renewing the international task force is essential for ensuring safety ahead of the December elections.

The Haitian Foreign Ministry has urged the United Nations Security Council to renew the mandate of an internationally supported security force designed to suppress powerful armed groups that dominate parts of the country.

During a recent address, Foreign Minister Raina Forbin reaffirmed her position that the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) requires full deployment to Haiti, accompanied by robust international backing.

However, the force’s mandate is set to expire on September 30 unless the UN Security Council takes action to prolong its operations.

“We need technical, financial, logistical and safety support that is up to the challenge,” said Forbin. “We must now move from solidarity to action.”

Her remarks were delivered at a meeting of the Organisation of American States (OAS), which focused on the persistent gang violence plaguing Haiti.

Forbin highlighted the urgent need for stability in her country. In the three months from April to June this year, an estimated 1,408 people were killed and 656 injured, with much of the violence attributed to gang activities.

Haiti is also advancing efforts to hold long-postponed general elections. However, critics express concern that the violence could undermine the elections and erode public trust in the process.

Political instability in Haiti has intensified since the assassination of former President Jovenel Moïse in 2021. Armed groups have exploited the resulting power vacuum, gaining control over large areas of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and displacing more than one million people.

Authorities have struggled to address the rampant violence and the underlying causes of instability, including poverty and government corruption.

The upcoming elections, the first in a decade, are currently scheduled for December 13. Yet, officials have questioned their feasibility given the deteriorating conditions on the ground.

OAS Secretary-General Albert Ramdin stated that the regional organization would deploy an Electoral Observation Mission to support a credible vote, calling for increased assistance to Haiti’s provisional electoral council.

He also noted that approximately one million identity cards must be produced and distributed before voting can proceed.

“Haiti is at a critical juncture,” Ramdin said in a statement. “Our responsibility is clear: to strengthen security efforts, advance electoral preparations, fulfill existing commitments, and ensure that international cooperation translates into tangible improvements in the daily lives of the Haitian people.”

However, international assistance efforts have faced criticism, with many Haitians skeptical of external interference in their country’s affairs.

Officials within international forces have also lamented the lack of consistent support. Prior to the GSF, Kenya led a Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to aid Haitian police, but withdrew in April after failing to meet funding and deployment objectives.

The UN Security Council established the GSF task force in October 2025 as a successor to the MSS, granting it a 12-month mandate.

The GSF is authorized to conduct “counter-gang operations to neutralize, isolate, and deter gangs,” either independently or in collaboration with Haitian police and military.

Human rights advocates, however, have pointed out that international support has been insufficient for Haitians fleeing violence.

Many Haitians have been forcibly returned to the country after seeking safety abroad. A UN official informed an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council last week that nearly 200,000 people were sent back to Haiti during the first eight months of this year.

This represents an increase of 20,000 compared to the same period last year.

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