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United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is scheduled to visit Haiti on Tuesday in a show of solidarity with victims of violence in the Caribbean nation, which continues to grapple with a worsening security and humanitarian crisis.
According to the UN, Guterres will meet with residents whose lives have been disrupted by gang violence, including women, men and children affected by the ongoing instability.
The visit, his first to the country since July 2023, will also provide an opportunity to assess the humanitarian and security situation on the ground, as well as efforts by Haitian authorities and the international community to restore stability.
“He will see firsthand the humanitarian and security challenges facing the country, as well as efforts by national authorities and the international community to restore stability and support the Haitian people,” spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, has been plagued by years of political turmoil, economic hardship and escalating gang violence marked by killings, kidnappings, sexual assaults and looting.
UN figures show that nearly 1.5 million people have been displaced, while more than five million are facing severe food insecurity.
The crisis intensified in early 2024 when coordinated gang attacks forced the resignation of the country’s then-prime minister. Although an interim presidential council was subsequently established, executive authority later passed to Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé after the council’s mandate expired earlier this year.
The country has not held national elections since 2016, largely because of the deteriorating security situation.
During the visit, Guterres is expected to review the United Nations’ support for Haiti, including assistance being provided to the newly established international Gang Suppression Force, which is expected to gradually replace the Multinational Mission to Support the Haitian Police.
The UN says the new force is intended to strengthen efforts to combat armed groups that control large parts of the country.
Guterres is also expected to hold talks with Prime Minister Fils-Aimé.
Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has warned that the security situation remains alarming, stressing the need for urgent action to address impunity and strengthen accountability.
According to Türk, gang violence has resulted in at least 2,300 deaths, 1,100 injuries and 99 kidnappings since the beginning of the year.
“In Haiti, gang violence has resulted in at least 2,300 deaths, 1,100 injuries and 99 kidnappings since the start of the year. I urge the authorities to move quickly on the judicial units to tackle impunity,” Turk said.
A report released by the UN human rights office in March found that more than 5,500 people were killed in gang-related violence between March 2025 and January 2026, with a significant number of deaths recorded during anti-gang operations.
