Haiti, allies rally behind new gang suppression force despite concerns

Officials call the UN-backed mission a vital step toward restoring security
by Juhakenson Blaise Oct. 02, 2025
THE HAITIAN TIMES
The UN Security Council's approval of Resolution UNSCR 2793 (2025) to create a Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in Haiti received widespread support. Haitian authorities hailed it as a key step against gang violence, while civil society stressed the need for human rights safeguards.
PORT-AU-PRINCE — Haiti’s transitional government has welcomed a new international mission approved by the United Nations Security Council to combat gang violence that has paralyzed the capital and much of the country. The Kenya-led Gang Suppression Force (GSF) will replace the Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), whose mandate ends Oct. 2, after months of limited results and logistical setbacks.
Haitian officials praised the resolution approved on Tuesday and co-sponsored by the U.S. and Panama, as a turning point in the country’s security crisis.
“This vote marks a decisive turning point in the fight against armed criminal groups that devastate our families, cripple our economy, and threaten the future of our Nation,” said Laurent Saint-Cyr, president of the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT), in a post on X.
Twelve of the 15 Security Council members voted in favor. China, Russia and Pakistan abstained.
Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aîné called the vote a concrete step toward restoring security and state authority.
“We are determined to break the grip of the gangs, ensure the safety of our fellow citizens, and create the conditions for free, fair, and transparent elections,” he wrote.
Civil society groups also cautiously welcomed the vote. The Center for Analysis and Research in Human Rights (CARDH) and other signatories of the December 21 Accord emphasized that the mission’s success will depend on coordination between Haitian institutions, international backers and watchdog mechanisms.
The group Mouvement Point Final (MPF) warned that if the GSF operates without ties to Haiti’s security institutions, it could weaken national sovereignty. The group called for a Human Rights Task Force to prevent abuses like those documented during the controversial MINUSTAH mission — a UN peacekeeping force deployed from 2004 to 2017, which faced multiple allegations of misconduct and rights violations.
“On one hand, it will be a sigh of relief for the Haitian population to be freed from armed gang violence in the short term; on the other hand, it will represent a major blow to Haiti’s national sovereignty,” said the MPF in a statement.
“We must work to prevent the damage witnessed during MINUSTAH’s presence in the country. UN peacekeepers must learn to respect the nation’s core values and the dignity of the Haitian people.”
What to know about the new UN-approved force
The resolution creates Haiti’s third major international intervention since 1994 — the first since the controversial MINUSTAH mission (2004–2017), which faced repeated accusations of human rights abuses and left a legacy of mistrust. Unlike past missions, this new one carries a narrower mandate focused explicitly on gang suppression.
The Gang Suppression Force (GSF) will consist of 5,550 personnel under a one-year mandate, with the authority to arrest suspected gang members — a power the outgoing Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS) did not have.
Still, the transition from the MSS to the GSF remains uncertain. The United Nations has agreed to set up a support office in Port-au-Prince to coordinate the new deployment, but how it will be funded is unclear. Salaries for personnel are expected to depend heavily on voluntary contributions from member states.
“This vote marks a decisive turning point in the fight against armed criminal groups that devastate our families, cripple our economy, and threaten the future of our Nation.”
Laurent Saint-Cyr, president of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (CPT)normal
Diego Da Rin, an analyst with the International Crisis Group, told The Associated Press there have been no meaningful negotiations on which countries might provide that funding. He also noted that the current MSS mission may be unable to continue past the end of the year due to a lack of secured contracts for food, accommodations, and operational support, raising the risk of a security vacuum if the GSF rollout stalls.
“There are some answers and still a lot of uncertainty,” Da Rin said.
While the U.S. has expressed confidence in sourcing troops from both Africa and the Western Hemisphere, Da Rin added that some observers remain skeptical that such contributions will materialize easily.
Additional reporting by REBECCA BLACKWELL and GISELA SALOMON for The Associated Press