The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on Tuesday to expand the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission in Haiti, authorizing the deployment of up to 5,500 uniformed personnel—including military troops—for an initial one-year period to bolster the fight against rampant gang violence.
The vote, under resolution 2751, transforms the current police-only force of about 1,000 officers, primarily from Kenya, into a more robust operation capable of proactive engagement with criminal gangs.
The measure, co-sponsored by the United States and Panama, also establishes a UN support office to handle logistics and funding, addressing longstanding shortfalls that have hampered the mission’s effectiveness since its 2023 authorization.
Haiti’s crisis has intensified since early 2024, when armed groups forced the resignation of then-Prime Minister Ariel Henry, leaving the country without elections since 2016 and under the stewardship of a Transitional Presidential Council.
Gangs now control much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, fueling murders, rapes, kidnappings, and widespread displacement. More than 1.3 million people are internally displaced, with over 4,000 killed in the first half of 2025 alone, according to UN estimates.
“Every day, innocent lives are snuffed out by bullets, fire and fear,” Laurent Saint-Cyr, head of the Haitian Transitional Presidential Council, told the UN General Assembly last week. “Entire neighborhoods are disappearing, forcing more than a million people into internal exile… This is the face of Haiti today, a country at war, a contemporary Guernica, a human tragedy on America’s doorstep—just a four-hour flight from here.”
The expansion enjoys broad backing, including from Kenya’s President William Ruto, who stated last week that “with the right personnel, adequate resources, appropriate equipment and necessary logistics, Haiti’s security can be restored.”
US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau echoed the sentiment, noting the mandate “would empower the force to proactively target gangs and restore security to Haiti while ensuring it has the appropriate tools to succeed.”
Yet challenges persist. China and Russia, which abstained from the original 2023 vote citing concerns over political preconditions and past UN interventions in Haiti, ultimately supported Tuesday’s resolution.
Diplomatic sources had indicated uncertainty over their veto-wielding stances, but both emphasized the need for Haitian-led political progress. The mission’s funding remains voluntary, with current pledges covering only a fraction of needs—991 Kenyan officers represent just 40% of the initial target.
The poorest nation in the Americas, Haiti faces intertwined security, humanitarian, and governance crises that threaten regional stability. The resolution signals international resolve but underscores the urgency of elections and institutional reforms.
As Secretary-General António Guterres has urged, sustained support for the MSS, alongside the renewed UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) until January 2026, could pave the way for free and fair polls. Failure to secure resources, however, risks prolonging the violence, with experts warning of broader migration pressures on neighboring countries.
