UN extends mandate of Gang Suppression Force in Haiti for six months

What the report says

The United Nations Security Council has extended the mandate of the Gang Suppression Force in Haiti for six more months, keeping the mission in place until March 31, 2027. The decision came amid continued gang violence and widespread insecurity, especially in and around Port-au-Prince, where organised criminal groups still control large areas, according to Al Jazeera’s report.

The vote followed support from the United States and other backers of the mission, while China, Russia and Pakistan abstained because of doubts about the force’s effectiveness. The report says the new task force differs from the earlier Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission because it can coordinate with Haiti’s military or operate on its own. US ambassador Mike Waltz, who co-sponsored the resolution, said the aim was to try a different approach after years of limited results from international efforts.

Al Jazeera reported that about 1,500 troops are currently deployed, with several thousand more expected later, though the force is still operating well below its planned strength. The mission has also faced funding and staffing problems similar to past interventions. Haiti’s government has repeatedly called for international help as it prepares for delayed national elections, with the next vote tentatively set for December.

The broader context is a worsening security and political crisis that deepened after President Jovenel Moise was assassinated in 2021. The UN says more than 1.5 million people have been displaced by gang violence, underscoring why the mandate renewal matters even as critics question whether another international mission can succeed where others have struggled.