Haiti at ‘watershed moment’, Prime Minister tells UN, urging full backing for security force

Haiti’s Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé told the UN General Assembly that the country faces a critical juncture in its fight against gang violence and requires sustained international backing alongside stronger national security institutions. He emphasized that Haiti is not seeking external control but partnership to reclaim its future, declaring that Haiti will resist and stand tall despite the scale of violence. The Prime Minister highlighted the human cost of the crisis, including massacres, displacement, and attacks on women and children, and paid tribute to victims and security personnel who have died in the line of duty.

Prime Minister Fils-Aimé outlined Haiti’s efforts to bolster its security forces, including a programme to train 4,000 police officers, with over 2,000 already trained, and more than 1,500 new soldiers completing training. The Government plans to train an additional 15,000 soldiers over the next three years, aiming not only to address the current crisis but to build long-term capacity for sustainable security. He stressed that the international gang suppression force, intended to support these efforts, remains understaffed and under-resourced, with only a fraction of the planned 5,500 personnel deployed.

The Prime Minister called for urgent international action against illicit weapons trafficking, which fuels gang violence through transnational criminal networks. He also highlighted steps to combat impunity, including the establishment of two specialized judicial hubs to address financial crimes, mass crimes, and sexual violence, as well as the reactivation of the national commission for disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration. Restoring security, he argued, must be paired with economic recovery and a return to democratic governance through free, credible, inclusive, and honest elections.

Prime Minister Fils-Aimé urged a fundamental shift in Haiti’s economic relationship with international partners, advocating for a move from aid to investment, assistance to production, and dependency to partnership. He emphasized that job creation, particularly for young people and women, is essential for lasting peace. Despite the challenges, he closed with a message of determination, asserting that the willpower to achieve peace is greater than the obstacles faced.