United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that Haiti is facing the most severe humanitarian crisis in the Western Hemisphere, driven by escalating gang violence, mass displacement, widespread hunger and a critically underfunded international response.
During an official visit to Port-au-Prince on June 17, Guterres described Haiti’s situation as a multidimensional crisis and said it ranks as the third-worst humanitarian catastrophe in the world, behind only the conflicts in Palestine and Sudan. He stated that 6.4 million people across the country are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
According to Guterres, the crisis is rooted in chronic insecurity caused by heavily armed criminal gangs that continue to exert control over communities and terrorize civilians. The violence has forced approximately 1.5 million people from their homes, creating a large-scale internal displacement crisis as residents flee areas affected by gang activity.
The humanitarian emergency has been compounded by severe food insecurity. Guterres reported that 6 million people are struggling to access adequate food, with millions surviving on only one meal a day. He said the combined impact of violence, displacement and deprivation has left much of the population fighting to meet basic needs.
The UN chief also highlighted a rapidly deteriorating human rights situation. He stated that more than 20 women and girls are sexually assaulted every day by criminal groups operating across the country. At the same time, gang recruitment of children has sharply increased, with minors now accounting for 50% of active gang members after recruitment rates tripled, according to Guterres.
A major concern raised during the visit was the lack of international financial support. Guterres said the United Nations humanitarian response plan for Haiti remains the most underfunded assistance program in the world. Of the $880 million required to address immediate humanitarian needs, only 24% has been provided by international donors, leaving a substantial funding gap that continues to restrict relief efforts.
Addressing reporters, Guterres criticized what he described as the indifference of wealthier nations toward Haiti’s worsening conditions. He said the global community had failed to give sufficient attention to the crisis and characterized the response of affluent countries as “shameful.”
Despite the bleak assessment, Guterres pointed to several developments that he said reflected limited progress in restoring state authority. He noted that Haitian security forces had regained control of several neighborhoods in downtown Port-au-Prince. He also highlighted the recent meeting of the Council of Ministers at the National Palace, the first such gathering there in more than three years, as a sign that government institutions were beginning to reassert their presence.
Guterres further emphasized the potential role of the UN-approved Gang Suppression Force, which authorizes the deployment of up to 5,500 personnel. He said the mission presents an opportunity to strengthen security and help restore government control in areas affected by gang activity.
The Secretary-General also drew attention to what he described as a significant imbalance in international participation. While developing countries including Chad, Jamaica and Bangladesh have committed personnel to the security mission, he said developed nations have failed to provide troops or adequate financial support.
Concluding his visit, Guterres said Haiti was not asking for charity but expecting the international community to honor its commitments. He stressed the need for a coordinated global response to address the country’s worsening humanitarian emergency while safeguarding human rights and national sovereignty.
