30/09/2025
UN Security Council faces crucial vote on expanding Haiti mission
Haiti’s struggle with violent gangs and political instability has reached a point where the international community is under pressure to act.
The United Nations Security Council is now expected to decide on Tuesday whether to strengthen the current UN-backed Multinational Security Mission into a larger, fully equipped force with both police and military personnel.
At the moment, only about 1,000 police officers, mostly from Kenya, are on the ground in Haiti under the mission that was approved in 2023.
Their role has been to support the local police, who remain overwhelmed by gang violence.
But results have been mixed, with reports of daily killings, kidnappings, and destruction forcing more than a million people from their homes.
Laurent Saint-Cyr, the head of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council, has urged the UN to do more, warning that the country is on the verge of collapse.
The new proposal, backed by the US and Panama, would expand the force to as many as 5,500 members for an initial period of one year.
It would also allow the mission to go beyond defensive policing and directly confront criminal gangs. A support office within the UN is also being considered to provide financial and logistical help.
President William Ruto has expressed confidence that with the right resources and equipment, Haiti’s security can be restored. However, not all members of the Security Council are fully convinced.
China and Russia, which have previously raised concerns about the mission, hold veto power and could complicate the vote.
The stakes are high for Haiti, a nation that has not held elections since 2016 and was left leaderless earlier this year after gangs forced Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign.
The outcome of the vote could determine whether Haiti finally receives the stronger international backing it needs or continues to struggle with limited support.