With Haiti facing one of the most severe security crises in the Western Hemisphere due to gang rule and political instability, causing mass displacement and death, experts note the Caribbean country needs cooperation between its government and global actors to create a strategy toward instilling peace and stability on the island.
According to the most recent quarterly report from the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH), as of June 30, 1.3 million people have been forced to flee their homes.
Per the report, 1,520 people were killed and 609 were injured due to gang-led attacks, the initiatives of unorganized self-defense groups and security forces’ operations. Deaths and injuries in Port-au-Prince, where 90% of the city is under gang rule, accounted for 77% of these deaths.
“This is a moment that demands unity and coordination among international organizations as we seek to work hand in hand with Haiti to help address the web of political security and humanitarian challenges facing its people,” said Miroslav Jenča, U.N. assistant secretary-general for political affairs, during the Aug. 27 meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) Group of Friends of Haiti.
In this series of meetings, Haitian government representatives, OAS member states and their stakeholders discussed the plan titled “Towards a Haitian-Led Roadmap for Stability and Peace,” which was introduced by OAS Secretary General Albert Ramdin on Aug. 20.
Members of the international community in support of Haiti hope that the country’s government will use this Roadmap as a tool to regain and sustain political stability and economic development. This plan intends to empower Haitian leadership while also emphasizing the importance of security to create an ideal environment and ensure progress.
“Time is critical in Haiti, especially when it comes to security,” Ramdin said during an OAS meeting on Aug. 26. “The ultimate goal– shared by all– is to see Haiti reach the point where it can safeguard its own people, govern effectively and deliver essential social and economic services without external support.”
Five Pillars for Stability
The proposed Roadmap is organized into five pillars of action: security stabilization and peace restoration, political consensus, electoral legitimacy, humanitarian response and sustainable development accompanied by economic progress.
To mend Haiti’s deteriorated security and, in turn, reestablish peace, the first pillar is divided into two phases. The first phase, a short-term emergency response, is focused on securing institutions like police stations and justice-related infrastructure to be centers for the deployment of the Haitian National Police (HNP) to regain gang-controlled areas and halt the influx of firearms into the country.
One way the OAS intends to achieve this is by supporting and complementing Multinational Security Support (MSS) initiatives, a measure that directly aligns with UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s wish to strengthen the MSS and authorize an international force supported logistically, operationally and financially by the UN.
“Voluntary contributions to the MSS Trust Fund remain essential, but assessed support would ensure impact and sustainability,” Guterres said in his Aug. 28 remarks to the Security Council regarding Haiti’s crisis. “Security measures must go hand-in-hand with increased pressure on those fueling the violence.”
The first pillar’s second phase is a medium- to long-term approach to sustain the safety recovered under the measures of the first phase. This motion would rebuild Haiti’s law enforcement by professionalizing the HNP through establishing a clear chain of command, efficient recruitment and prioritizing emergency training. If the HNP can improve these areas and replace international troops, then Haiti would be better equipped to rely on its national institutions, pushing it toward true independence from global actors.
Both the political consensus and electoral legitimacy pillars are intended to establish the foundation for a functioning government and sustain it through restoring an efficient democratic pathway ahead of the Feb. 7, 2026, deadline to replace the current Transitional Presidential Council (TPC) with a new constitution and leadership.
To achieve this, the Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) Eminent Persons Group (EPG) and BINUH must continue fostering Haitian-owned political dialogue and assist with building bridges between various Haitian stakeholders to resolve the current political crisis.
“CARICOM’s EPG leadership is essential for the continuity in navigating the transition to a more permanent governance solution that is aligned with Haiti’s needs and aspirations,” the Roadmap reads. “BINUH will continue to accompany these efforts as well as the OAS, which will provide support with CARICOM in the lead.”
One of the most crucial pillars is humanitarian aid. The proposed lines of action within this pillar include providing vulnerable communities in Haiti with an emergency water supply, hygiene kits, emergency shelters, health services and educational support.
According to Guterres, humanitarian personnel reached 1.3 million people in the first quarter of 2025, but the country remains underfunded. For this year, Haiti needs $908 million to support 3.9 million people, but less than 10% has been received.
“As a result, 1.7 million people risk receiving no assistance at all,” Guterres said. “This is not a funding gap. It is a life-and-death emergency.”
The final pillar focuses on sustainable development and economic progress to revitalize Haiti’s economy and reduce poverty. Since approximately two-thirds of Haiti’s population relies on agriculture for its livelihood, this portion of the Roadmap will place a strong emphasis on agriculture, rural development and food security. To strengthen the agriculture sector, actors like the Green Climate Fund will help increase irrigation access and promote reforestation and land recovery.
Other lines of action within this pillar are aimed at: creating more jobs to help mitigate the risks of Haitian citizens joining gangs; producing youth-focused community-based opportunities for education and civic engagement; generating a business environment that is attractive to domestic and foreign investment, and strengthening Haiti’s position on the global economic stage to foster national and international economic relationships to enhance trade opportunities.
Through efficient long-term collaboration between Haitian leadership and the international community, this Roadmap and its pillars could bring prosperity to Haiti and ensure the Caribbean country attains the future its citizens deserve. The OAS hopes that in three years, by updating and following this framework, security in Haiti will be reasonably under control and that the Caribbean country will depend less on global actors for aid.
I think the two things which will determine success are coordination and funding,” Ramdin said. “We can make the best plans, but if it is not possible to execute, it doesn’t take us anywhere.”