Haiti’s security, financial, and political crises have significantly worsened in recent months, at a time when international humanitarian assistance is declining. An expanded international military mission is expected to deploy in the country soon, raising hopes among some Haitians that stronger security measures could finally slow the cycle of gang violence that has devastated the capital, Port-au-Prince.
Whenever Diego Da Rin, Haiti analyst at the International Crisis Group, visits the capital, he sees visible scars of the conflict—destroyed buildings and damaged roads left behind by intense clashes between gangs and security forces. According to him, armed groups have erected barricades to block access to neighborhoods under their control, creating areas where police presence is virtually nonexistent.
These neighborhoods are heavily guarded by armed men stationed around abandoned buildings or monitoring the streets from upper floors. The violence has forced more than 1.4 million residents to flee their homes to escape kidnappings, sexual violence, and killings. For years, Haiti—the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere—has faced a deepening crisis fueled by gang warfare, political instability, and a fragile economy.
Armed groups now control large parts of Port-au-Prince and are expanding into nearby regions such as the Artibonite Department and the Centre Department, Haiti. According to the United Nations, more than four million Haitians require urgent humanitarian assistance in 2026, including food, water, and shelter, with estimated needs reaching $880 million.
International Aid Declining
Despite growing needs, international aid is shrinking. Last year, donors contributed only about one quarter of the $908 million requested by the United Nations for Haiti.
Switzerland remains one of the key contributors to the UN appeal but currently allocates only 8 million Swiss francs to its humanitarian office in Haiti. The reduction follows the decision by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation to end its bilateral development cooperation in Haiti at the end of 2023 as part of a broader withdrawal from Latin America.
The change has also affected NGOs such as Helvetas, which had to halt several development projects previously funded by Swiss support.
“We Swiss are known for quality,” said Esther Belliger, regional coordinator for Latin America and the Caribbean at Helvetas. She emphasized that fragile countries like Haiti require long-term commitments to ensure lasting impact. Instead, she described Haiti as a “forgotten crisis” receiving limited attention as global priorities shift elsewhere.
The most significant blow came from the United States, historically Haiti’s largest donor. In January 2025, the administration of Donald Trump dismantled the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), causing about 80% of U.S.-funded programs in Haiti to abruptly stop.
According to U.S. envoy Henry Wooster, Washington’s priority has shifted toward restoring security and preventing large-scale migration toward American shores.
Drones and Private Contractors Enter the Fight
The United States has supported the interim government led by Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé in its security strategy. In March 2025, a national security task force began deploying drones and about 100 foreign contractors supplied by the private military firm Vectus Global, founded by Erik Prince, the former head of the controversial security company Blackwater.
Security officials say drone operations have helped target gang strongholds previously difficult to penetrate. According to Da Rin, this capability could prove important if elections—delayed since the assassination of Jovenel Moïse in 2021—are held later this year.
However, drone operations have also raised concerns. Civilian casualties have occurred, including an incident in September that reportedly killed eight children. Humanitarian organizations warn that drone strikes also pose risks to aid workers.
In November, a drone strike hit a clinic operated by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Two months later, a former volunteer associated with the clinic died during crossfire between gangs and security forces.
“This is a gang-controlled area where we are the only medical provider,” explained Diana Manilla-Arroyo, head of mission for MSF in Haiti. “If we are not there, no one else will be.”
Delivering Aid Becomes Increasingly Difficult
Humanitarian operations face enormous obstacles. Commercial flights rarely land in Haiti due to security risks after several aircraft were hit by gunfire. Roads in and around Port-au-Prince are blocked or damaged, and gangs impose illegal tolls along key transport routes.
Because of these restrictions, many international donors rely heavily on local organizations to distribute assistance.
One example is Helvetas, which currently supports 550 displaced households in southern Haiti by providing cash and livestock, with funding from the city of Zurich.
Still, funding shortages remain severe. Belliger described Haiti’s situation as facing a “catastrophic funding gap.” The closure of USAID programs has particularly impacted sectors like education and healthcare, which were heavily financed by the United States.
According to MSF, all but one public hospital in Port-au-Prince capable of performing surgery are currently closed. The organization also had to suspend its ambulance service after convoys transporting patients were repeatedly attacked.
“The gaps in healthcare are enormous,” Manilla-Arroyo said.
Responding to a Multi-Faceted Crisis
Medical workers are also seeing a rise in sexual violence. MSF reports that gangs increasingly use rape as a tool to dominate and terrorize communities.
In response, Switzerland has launched programs in Port-au-Prince and southern Haiti aimed at assisting about 10,000 survivors of gang violence, particularly women and girls.
Swiss authorities say they will continue humanitarian operations in Haiti despite funding challenges, acknowledging the country faces a “multifaceted crisis.”
A New International Anti-Gang Force
The coming months may prove decisive. A new international mission backed by the United States and approved by the United Nations Security Council is expected to deploy soon.
The planned Gang Suppression Force (GSF) will replace the smaller Kenya-led security mission currently operating in Haiti. The new contingent is expected to include around 5,500 personnel, including soldiers from Chad and Sri Lanka, with a stronger mandate to directly target armed gangs.
The United Nations manages a trust fund for the mission, which has received pledges from countries including Canada, Mexico, France, Austria, Germany, and Qatar. Switzerland has stated it does not plan to provide direct financial or military support.
Analysts believe the new force could shift the balance against gangs if its troops are properly trained and equipped. However, experts warn that military pressure alone will not resolve Haiti’s deeper challenges.
Negotiations may also be necessary, particularly to secure the release of children who have been forcibly recruited by gangs.
According to Da Rin, restoring security across major areas of Port-au-Prince and organizing credible national elections in the near future remains highly uncertain.
