The UN Security Council (UNSC) has authorized a 1-year stabilization mission to Haiti aimed at restoring peace and security in the country, which has been grappling with escalating gang violence. The Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, coordinated and led by the Kenyan government, will operate in cooperation with the Haitian government. This decision responds to the steadfast requests for international assistance lodged by the Haitian authorities.
Gang violence has plagued Haiti since 2021, with the situation worsening in recent times. Multiple entities, including right groups like the National Human Rights Defense Network, the Haiti Response Coalition, and even the UN have documented the severity of violence in the Caribbean nation.
In an unprecedented step, the MSS mission will not be a direct UN operation, despite the UNSC’s backing. According to Robert Rae, the chairperson of the Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti, usual peacekeeping operations often involve clashes between different ethnic or regional factions. However, this mission specifically addresses gang violence within the Haitian borders. Of the UNSC’s 15 members, 13 supported the resolution, with China and Russia abstaining due to their careful stance regarding the invocation of Chapter VII of the UN Charter on the authorization of force use.
The MSS mission must adhere to high standards of transparency, conduct, and discipline throughout their operation, as outlined in the UNSC resolution. This demand for high standards harks back to the backlash following reports Human Rights Watch released around sexual misconduct during the 2017 UN Peacekeeping operation in Haiti.
In the midst of this, the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) has been functioning to strengthen Haiti’s political stability and governance, bolster a stable and peace-oriented environment, and safeguard human rights. The cooperative dynamics between the MSS mission, BINUH, and the Haitian government are still unfolding, and it remains to be seen how these entities will work in synergy to resuscitate a sense of stability in Haiti.