PORT-AU-PRINCE — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres visited Haiti on Tuesday ahead of the deployment of a new U.N.-backed international force tasked with supporting efforts against powerful armed gangs that have expanded their control across large parts of the country, U.N. officials said. The visit included meetings with Haitian leaders, humanitarian workers and people displaced by violence, as the Caribbean nation continues to face a worsening security and humanitarian crisis.
Guterres arrived in Port-au-Prince after traveling through the neighboring Dominican Republic and received briefings on security operations and international assistance efforts. According to U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, the secretary-general visited facilities linked to the new Gang Suppression Force and assessed U.N. logistical and operational support being provided under a Security Council mandate.
The visit comes as Haiti prepares for the broader deployment of the Gang Suppression Force, a multinational mission authorized by the U.N. Security Council to support Haitian authorities in confronting armed groups that have disrupted transportation, health services and daily life in many areas. Earlier deployments under a Kenyan-led security mission faced shortages of personnel and equipment, prompting calls for stronger international support.
According to U.N. officials, Guterres met Prime Minister Alix Didier-Fils-Aimé and discussed security, humanitarian needs and efforts to restore stability ahead of planned political and electoral milestones. The secretary-general also met residents affected by violence and displacement.
“The humanitarian situation here is desperate, but there are faint glimmers of hope,” Guterres said in a message posted during the visit, urging the international community not to overlook Haiti’s crisis.
The United Nations reported this week that more than 2,300 people have been killed in Haiti so far in 2026, while about 1.5 million people have been displaced by violence. The organization said armed gangs continue to exert influence over much of Port-au-Prince and other areas despite ongoing security operations.
Human rights groups have called on the United Nations and Haitian authorities to ensure that anti-gang operations protect civilians and address underlying causes of insecurity. Haitian officials have repeatedly said international assistance remains necessary as national police and security forces seek to regain control of affected areas.
As of Tuesday, the secretary-general’s office said international preparations for the force’s deployment were continuing, while humanitarian agencies remained engaged in assistance efforts for displaced communities across Haiti. Details on upcoming deployments were not immediately released.
