United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a powerful appeal at the end of his visit to Haiti, urging immediate and coordinated international action to address the country’s deepening security and humanitarian crisis.
Opening his press conference, he described a devastating reality on the ground. “Gangs have been terrorizing the country,” he said, pointing to widespread displacement, the collapse of public services, and a rapidly deteriorating security environment. According to figures presented, more than 6.4 million people now require humanitarian assistance, while nearly 1.5 million have been internally displaced. Violence continues to escalate, with thousands of casualties and growing risks for women and children in particular. The UN chief stressed the human cost behind the statistics: “Behind every number, there is a life,” he said, highlighting widespread sexual violence and the increasing recruitment of children by armed groups.
While commending humanitarian workers many of them Haitian Guterres warned that funding for relief efforts remains critically insufficient, urging donors to meet their commitments. On the security front, he noted that while the situation remains severe, it is not irreversible. He cited some progress, including the recovery of certain urban areas and the resumption of government meetings in symbolic national institutions. He also met with members of the Gang Suppression Force, which he described as a key instrument for restoring state authority, while emphasizing the need for full respect of human rights. “Human rights are not an obstacle to security; they are its foundation,” he stated, calling for stronger support to local security forces and tighter control of illicit arms flows.
On the political side, Guterres reiterated that Haiti’s future depends on two parallel processes: improving security and advancing toward credible elections. He emphasized that the solution must be Haitian-led, with coordinated international support. “The Haitian people have waited too long,” he said, urging faster progress in the transition and the rebuilding of trust in institutions. In conclusion, the Secretary-General appealed to the international community to step up security assistance, support the political transition, and fully fund humanitarian operations.
He ended on a note of cautious hope, recalling Haiti’s historical resilience: Haiti is not defined by its suffering. It is a nation of courage, culture, and history, capable of standing up again.
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