Haiti calls for international support as it pushes toward elections

Haiti’s Foreign Affairs Minister Raina Forbin has called for sustained international support as the country works toward holding “free, credible, inclusive and above all participatory elections” following years of political instability and escalating gang violence.

Addressing the United Nations Security Council on Monday, Forbin urged the international community not to abandon the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) nation as it seeks to restore security, strengthen democratic institutions and return to constitutional order.

The last time Haitians elected a president was in 2016. The country has remained without an elected leader since President Jovenel Moïse was assassinated in July 2021, after which armed gangs expanded their control over large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and several rural communities.

Forbin said elections that restore public trust and strengthen democratic legitimacy are essential to achieving lasting peace and stability.

“This is what 12 million men, women and children in Haiti are hoping for,” she told the council, adding that seven of Haiti’s 10 departments are now ready for electoral activities without major security obstacles.

She said the deployment of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) to the remaining three departments is critical to ensuring Haitians can exercise their right to vote freely and without intimidation.

The GSF is a 5,550-member, United Nations-backed multinational security mission established under UN Security Council Resolution 2793 to support efforts to combat armed groups controlling parts of Port-au-Prince. The force works alongside the Haitian National Police and has been authorised to conduct intelligence-led operations, including arrests of gang members.

“Security is a necessary bedrock for legitimate elections,” Forbin said, noting that the Haitian government has taken steps to strengthen national security institutions.

She said more than 2,000 police officers have been trained since January under a government programme, while 1,500 new members are being recruited into the armed forces. If current plans remain on track, she said the national police would gain 4,000 additional personnel by the end of the year.

Forbin said Haiti’s children remain among the most affected by the country’s security and humanitarian crisis, making the restoration of stability an urgent priority.

She expressed support for Caricom’s recent statements at the Security Council and delivered a message of hope to both Haiti’s international partners and its citizens.

“Genuine progress is being made on the ground,” Forbin said, arguing that Haiti is closer than it has been in years to restoring security and conducting elections.

The minister said Haiti’s electoral process has advanced significantly, with two of the three required phases for national elections already completed. She said political party registration has concluded, voter registration is underway, and the remaining step is for the Provisional Electoral Council to publish an official electoral calendar.

“The Haitian Government stands convinced that the only way for Haiti to make progress lies in the holding of elections,” she said.

Forbin also highlighted other government initiatives, including the closure of three internally displaced persons camps, allowing families to return home, and a shift in humanitarian policy from short-term aid toward creating long-term economic opportunities, particularly for young Haitians.

She said Haiti has also reactivated its National Disarmament, Dismantlement and Reintegration Commission and continued judicial reforms aimed at strengthening accountability and the rule of law.

Two specialised judicial chambers focused on prosecuting mass crimes, sexual violence and serious financial crimes have also been established, she said.

However, Forbin acknowledged that the progress remains fragile and called on the Security Council to support the full deployment and renewal of the GSF’s mandate.

“Now is not the time to back down,” she said, urging continued international cooperation to help Haiti secure lasting peace, stability and democracy.

Forbin said Haiti should no longer be defined solely by its crises, pointing to improvements in security, territorial recovery efforts and electoral preparations.

“The momentum is genuine. We cannot lose this momentum,” she said, calling for sustained international commitment to help consolidate the progress already made.