The United Nations (U.N.) Security Council unanimously voted on Monday to extend the mandate of a Kenya-led mission combating escalating gang violence in Haiti.
Gang violence began to spiral out of control after the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in 2021 by a group of foreign mercenaries, and paramilitiaries are now estimated to control nearly 80 percent of the capital city of Port-au-Prince. This rise in violence has prompted the formation of local vigilante groups as Haitians struggle to regain control of their neighborhoods.
In response to a Haitian request, the U.N. Security Council approved the Multinational Security Support Mission. Led by Kenya, the mission aims to assist the Haitian National Police in combating gang violence, restoring security and creating conditions for democratic elections. The mission is granted temporary executive policing authority, including arrest and detention powers.
On Monday, a short resolution was adopted that extends the Multinational Security Support mission until October 2, 2025. It encourages the mission “to accelerate its deployment, and further encourages additional voluntary contributions and support for the mission.”
Newsweek reached out to the United Nations Security Council via email on Monday for comment.
Frank Franklin II/AP
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the Security Council that the 15-0 vote “sends a strong message to the people of Haiti: The world is standing with you. And we are unwavering in our efforts to help restore security and stability and put the country on the path to peace and stability.”
The vote to extend the mission comes as at least 1,379 people were reported killed or injured in Haiti from April through June, with another 428 kidnapped, according to the U.N. There are at least 700,00 displaced Haitians, more than half of whom are children, as gangs continue to run Port-au-Prince.
However, Monday’s decision sidesteps requests from Haiti’s leadership to explore transforming the force into a formal U.N. peacekeeping mission.
According to the final draft obtained by The Associated Press, China and Russia succeeded in eliminating a paragraph in the resolution that acknowledged the call by Edgard Leblanc Fils, the president of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, at the U.N. General Assembly “to start a discussion” on moving to a U.N. peacekeeping force.
Leblanc had raised the issue last week at the U.N. General Assembly, marking the first public announcement of support by a government official since the United States proposed a U.N. peacekeeping mission in early September as a way to secure more resources for the Kenya-led mission.
This comes as the mission, which includes around 400 Kenyan officers, falls short of the 2,500 personnel initially pledged by various countries—including Chad, Benin, Bangladesh and Barbados—for the mission.
In addition, financial resources also remain scarce, raising concerns about the operation’s long-term sustainability.
Thomas-Greenfield addressed these concerns, telling the Security Council that additional financial contributions are urgently needed for the multinational force while also calling on council members to heed Haiti’s call for a U.N.-funded peacekeeping operation.
Despite U.S. advocacy for more direct U.N. involvement, both China and Russia voiced strong opposition to deploying a peacekeeping force at this stage. China’s deputy U.N. ambassador, Geng Shuang, pointed to past U.N. peacekeeping missions in Haiti, which he characterized as failures.
“The U.N. has sent multiple peacekeeping operations in Haiti, but the results have never been satisfactory, and the lessons learned have been extremely profound. Haiti does not have the conditions for the deployment of peacekeeping operations right now,” Geng said.
However, Leblanc, in his General Assembly speech, acknowledged the efforts of the current multinational force but emphasized that much remains to be done to restore peace as many Haitians live in constant fear.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
