UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for increased logistical and financial assistance for the multinational police mission in Haiti, dismissing calls for the deployment of peacekeepers at this stage.
In a letter to the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Guterres stated that transitioning to a full-fledged peacekeeping operation is not yet a feasible option. He emphasised that such a move could be considered only after significant progress in reducing gang territorial control.
The Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission (MSS), authorised by the Security Council in 2023, began its deployment last summer with around 1,000 officers from six countries, well below the planned 2,500. The mission’s current limitations, including underfunding and insufficient resources, have led Haitian authorities to request a shift to a UN peacekeeping operation.
Guterres, however, believes that the MSS, when fully deployed and adequately resourced, remains the most viable solution to reduce gang control in Haiti. He proposed the creation of a UN Support Office to manage logistical needs and urged member states to provide additional military-grade equipment and personnel to strengthen the mission.
