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

The United Nations Security Council has approved a six-month extension of the Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in Haiti, keeping the international task force in place through March 31, 2027. The resolution passed despite abstentions from China, Russia and Pakistan, which flagged doubts about whether the measure will successfully reduce entrenched criminal violence in the country. Supporters argued the GSF’s broader mandate — including the ability to coordinate with Haiti’s military or act independently — represents a departure from prior approaches that focused mainly on backing the national police.

US Ambassador Mike Waltz, a co-sponsor of the resolution, described the current effort as an attempt to do things differently after multiple past missions achieved limited results. At present the GSF has about 1,500 personnel on the ground, with roughly 4,000 additional troops expected to arrive in the months ahead. Nevertheless, the task force is operating at approximately 30% of its intended strength and faces familiar hurdles such as personnel shortages and funding gaps.

Critics of foreign intervention in Haiti also pointed to a history of abuses linked to outside deployments, adding political sensitivity to the operational challenges. The GSF follows a Kenyan-led Multinational Security Support Mission that concluded in April after encountering staffing and financing problems; some of those resources were transitioned to the new task force.

The Security Council action comes against a backdrop of deepening instability in Haiti. Organized criminal networks control much of Port-au-Prince and have expanded their influence since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. The resulting insecurity has contributed to widespread displacement — more than 1.5 million people — and a surge in lethal violence: the UN recorded 1,408 killings and over 650 gang-related injuries between April and June alone. Haitian authorities have repeatedly requested international support to restore order and create conditions for national elections, which have been repeatedly delayed and are tentatively set for December.