The Organization of American States (OAS) is appealing for more international funding and support to confront Haiti’s deepening crisis of poverty, political instability, and gang violence.
In a recent interview with AFP, OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin stressed the need to “rebuild trust” after years of failed foreign interventions and wasted aid in the Caribbean nation. “Canada and the US have done a lot already, but in Latin America there is a renewed appetite to see how they can support Haiti,” said Ramdin, who previously served as Suriname’s foreign minister.
The OAS last week released a roadmap prioritising security, noting that vast areas of Haiti — including most of the capital, Port-au-Prince — remain under the control of armed gangs. Despite the arrival of a Kenyan-led multinational support force to assist Haiti’s beleaguered police, violence has escalated. At least 3,141 people were killed in the first half of 2025, according to the UN human rights office.
Ramdin emphasised that the OAS cannot lead a peacekeeping mission and that any such deployment “will have to be led by the United Nations or another country.” He added that some South American states have indicated willingness to contribute troops.
Haiti’s political future also hangs in the balance. Since the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse in 2021, the country has struggled to stabilise. A presidential transition council, installed in 2024 after Prime Minister Ariel Henry resigned, has pledged to hold elections before its mandate ends in February 2026.
Ramdin, however, expressed doubts: “I’m not optimistic about that. It’s not impossible but a lot would need to happen.” He warned that if the council’s mandate lapses without a clear plan, “we’ll have a political vacuum that can be exploited by the gang leaders who want to assume a leadership role.”
“Let’s not play politics with Haiti and let’s forget about egos,” he urged.
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