Guterres urges global action on Haiti, says “indifference” worsening crisis

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on the international community to step up its support for Haiti, warning that global indifference is as damaging as the country’s escalating gang violence.

Wrapping up a one-day visit to Haiti on Tuesday, Guterres said he was encouraged by what he described as early signs of progress in the country’s political transition, but stressed that sustained international engagement was urgently needed.

“A dynamic is there. And my call to the international community is therefore simple. Finally, assume your responsibilities,” he told reporters at a news conference following meetings with Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé and other officials.

Guterres said Haiti’s crisis was being deepened not only by armed gangs but also by the lack of sustained global attention.

“The biggest wave is indifference, that of a world that has looked elsewhere for too long,” he said, adding that there was a “direct link between the absence of the international community and the absence of security for the Haitian people.”

He pointed to recent developments as signs of gradual progress, including the return of government activity to the National Palace and the recapture of some neighbourhoods in Port-au-Prince.

“But the situation can be reversed,” he said. “It is not just a symbol, it is the sign of the progressive return of the state.”

His visit came shortly after the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk reported that at least 2,300 people have been killed in Haiti since the start of the year as a result of gang violence, alongside more than 1,100 injuries and nearly 100 kidnappings.

The figures were presented during the opening of the 62nd session of the UN Human Rights Council, where Türk warned of the scale of insecurity facing the country.

Guterres said he had met members of the newly mandated Gang Suppression Force (GSF), describing its deployment as a “real chance to reverse violence and restore the authority of the state.”

The force, approved by the UN Security Council late last year, is intended to combat escalating gang activity and replaces the earlier Kenyan-led multinational mission. It is expected to reach up to 5,500 personnel.

“We have no right to waste this chance,” Guterres said, adding that while the force is not a UN operation, it receives logistical and operational support through the UN presence in Haiti.

He also praised cooperation between Haiti and the Dominican Republic and paid tribute to Haitian police and security personnel operating under difficult conditions.

“These forces must receive the training, equipment and coordination necessary for their mission in the strict respect of human rights,” he said. “Human rights and the fight against impunity are not an obstacle to security, they are the foundation of the confidence of the population.”

Guterres said lasting stability would require disarmament, dismantling, and reintegration of gang members, alongside stronger efforts to stop illicit arms flows into the country.

He stressed that security alone would not resolve the crisis, warning that political progress was equally urgent.

“Security alone will not be enough. It must go hand in hand with political progress,” he said.

The UN chief said he had held “frank exchanges” with Prime Minister Fils-Aimé and representatives from across Haitian society, urging accelerated efforts toward inclusive political transition and credible elections.

“The Haitian people have learned too much,” he said. “The opportunity that exists today may not be represented again.”

Guterres noted that Haiti has not held national elections since 2016, with armed groups now controlling large parts of Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas.

He said the United States remained engaged in supporting stabilization efforts and emphasized the need for coordinated international backing for both security and governance reforms.

In his closing remarks, Guterres urged a three-pronged international response: stronger security support, sustained political and institutional assistance, and predictable humanitarian funding.

“First, strengthen security support with a rapid and complete deployment of force… Secondly, support the political transition… Thirdly, finance humanitarian aid in a predictable way,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Guterres said he left Haiti cautiously hopeful.

“For the first time in years, we see the end of the tunnel,” he said, pointing to Haiti’s young population, diaspora, and cultural resilience.

“This people will know, I am convinced, to free itself from the grip of gangs and regain its security, its institutions, its future,” he said. “Our role is not to act in your place. Our role is to be on your side. And we will be there until the end.”