The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) made a significant move in addressing the escalating crisis in Haiti by adopting a resolution on Tuesday to transition the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission into a multinational “Gang Suppression Force” (GSF). This shift comes amid worsening humanitarian and security situations and increasing violence in the Caribbean island nation.
With 12 votes in favor and 3 abstentions from China, Pakistan, and Russia, the UNSC authorized UN member states to establish the GSF in close collaboration with the Haitian government for an initial period of 12 months. The new mission aims to "neutralize, isolate, and deter" gangs that continue to threaten the civilian population and human rights, as well as undermine Haitian institutions.
Resolution 2793 (2025) grants participating states the freedom to carry out intelligence-led, targeted operations either independently or with the Haitian National Police (HNP) and Haitian Armed Forces — a significant change. The GSF will consist of up to 5,550 personnel, including 5,500 uniformed military and police personnel, as well as 50 civilians.
The Council also requested that UN Secretary-General António Guterres establishes the UN Support Office in Haiti (UNSOH) to support primarily the new force, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), the HNP, and the Haitian Armed Forces.
The Multinational Security Support mission, first authorized in October 2023 and later extended to October 2025, was mandated to support the Haitian National Police in countering gangs and protecting critical infrastructure.
Although the MSS enabled the HNP to regain access to certain areas and infrastructure, it failed to stabilize the situation. Deployed in June of last year, the MSS is mandated until October 2, 2025.
Kenya has led the non-UN mission, and El Salvador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Belize, and the Bahamas have contributed personnel. However, the force is understaffed and underfunded, with only limited operational capacity. Currently, the MSS has about 1,000 personnel, mostly police, which is less than half of the planned 2,500.
Haiti’s delegate, Pierre Éric Pierre, hailed the adoption of Resolution 2793 as "a decisive turning point in my country's fight against one of the most serious challenges in its already turbulent history."
He said that the gangs have turned into "powerful criminal organizations that mock and challenge the authority of the state and threaten regional stability," underscoring that this must end.
Pierre stressed that, while the MSS mission has been "a valuable support and a strong signal of international solidarity," the "reality on the ground has reminded us that the scale and sophistication of the threat far exceeds the mandate initially granted to this mission."
Speaking on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), François Jackman, Barbados' representative, welcomed international support for urgent action in Haiti and emphasized the need for the new force to be sustainably and predictably resourced by all international partners.
"Only through urgent collective action by the international community in the security domain can the scourge of gang violence be arrested," he said.
He added that this was a critical first step to creating favorable conditions for holding elections, delivering humanitarian relief, rebuilding institutions, and laying the foundation for the country’s long-term economic development.
Several other speakers also welcomed the text and expressed optimism about the GSF's potential impact on restoring security in Haiti.
Tuesday's resolution was founded on recommendations made by the UN Secretary-General in February 2025. It took the Council six months to reach a decision.
In his recommendations, Guterres ruled out the possibility of transforming the MSS mission into a UN peacekeeping force. Instead, he endorsed the creation of a UN support mission to provide logistical and operational support while ensuring reliable funding.
Guterres also said that the mission needed stronger intelligence capabilities, more equipment, and specialized police units to protect critical infrastructure, including seaports, airports, oil terminals, and major roads.
Haiti’s severe humanitarian crisis
The country is facing a severe humanitarian crisis driven by escalating gang violence and the subsequent collapse of essential services. Armed groups have tightened their control over the capital and spread far beyond it, leaving the population devastated by gang violence. At least 3,137 people were killed in the first half of 2025, and violence continues to escalate.
The island nation has been plagued by gang violence and instability since 2021, when President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated. The national police force is understaffed and ill-equipped, and it has been unable to stop the gangs terrorizing the population, especially in the capital.
In an August briefing to the UN Security Council, UN Secretary-General Guterres painted a devastating picture of Haiti’s ongoing humanitarian crisis. He described Haiti as being caught in a "perfect storm of suffering" and urged the international community to act before it's too late, emphasizing that Haiti remains "shamefully overlooked and woefully underfunded."
Haiti is one of the least funded of the UN’s country appeals globally. To date, only about 13 percent of the necessary resources have been received — $118 million of the required $908 million to support 3.9 million people.
Ongoing armed violence has brought the country to the brink of collapse. At least half of the population — 6 million people, including 3.3 million children — need humanitarian assistance. The latest food security report shows that a record 5.7 million people are experiencing acute hunger due to violence and an ongoing economic collapse.
Haiti is amongst the world’s top five hunger hotspots, where people are facing extreme hunger, starvation, and death. The situation will only worsen unless urgent action is taken swiftly to de-escalate the conflict, stop the displacement of people, and provide large-scale aid.
At least 1.3 million Haitians have been forced to flee their homes due to violence, half of whom are children. Since last December, the number of displaced people has increased by 25 percent. Currently, Haiti has the highest percentage of its population displaced by violence: 11 percent.
On Wednesday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that gender-based violence in Haiti continues at alarming levels. From January to August of this year, humanitarian agencies reported over 6,450 incidents, nearly half of which were rapes, with one in seven survivors being girls under 18.
Armed groups were reportedly responsible for 75 percent of the attacks, and 70 percent of the survivors were from displaced communities.
Further information
Full text: United Nations Security Council, Resolution 2793 (2025), adopted September 30, 2025
https://docs.un.org/en/S/RES/2793(2025)