UN OKs 5,550‑Person Gang Force for Haiti
On Oct. 1, 2025 the U.N. Security Council approved creation of a 5,550‑person international 'gang suppression' force with a 12‑month mandate to replace an understaffed Kenyan‑led U.N. mission in Haiti. The new force would be authorized to arrest suspected gang members as it seeks to reclaim areas—gangs now control about 90% of Port‑au‑Prince—and address a growing wave of looting, kidnappings and mass displacement; funding gaps and a likely year‑long deployment timeline leave uncertainty over when and how the mission will be fully operational.
International
Security
Humanitarian
🔍 Key Facts
- U.N. Security Council approved a 5,550‑person gang‑suppression force on Oct. 1, 2025 with a 12‑month mandate
- The force would replace a Kenyan‑led U.N.‑backed mission that currently has fewer than 1,000 personnel versus a planned 2,500 and a trust fund balance of about $112 million of an estimated $800 million needed annually
- Mandate includes authority to arrest suspected gang members; U.S. government says it is confident personnel can be drawn from Africa and the Western Hemisphere, but deployment could take up to a year and funding relies on voluntary contributions
📍 Contextual Background
- A U.N.-backed mission in Haiti led by Kenyan police had a mandate set to expire on 2025-10-02.
- As of 2025-10-01, gangs controlled about 90% of Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince.
- As of 2025-10-01, the Kenyan-led U.N.-backed mission in Haiti had fewer than 1,000 personnel (below the 2,500 envisioned) and held about $112 million in its trust fund, approximately 14% of an estimated $800 million annual funding requirement.