51³Ô¹Ï

Background

Haiti is witnessing unprecedented levels of lawlessness and brutality at the hands of criminal gangs. These groups have attacked hospitals, health centers, and schools in the capital Port-au-Prince and beyond. Women and children have been targeted, with gangs using sexual violence to terrorize and control entire communities. In 2023 and in 2024, killings, kidnappings, lynchings and incidents of gender-based violence reached record levels.

To back the efforts of the Haitian National Police (HNP) to re-establish security in the country and build security conditions conducive to holding free and fair elections, the Security Council authorized Member States to form and deploy a Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, in close cooperation and coordination with the Government of Haiti. The MSS is not a UN operation, although it enjoys the support of the Organization. It is led by Kenya.

About the mission

Authorization

The Council authorized the formation and deployment of the MSS on 2 October 2023 when it adopted , having determined that the situation in Haiti continued to constitute a threat to international peace and security and to stability in the region. The Council was also responding to a direct appeal from Haiti¡¯s Council of Ministers for the deployment of a specialized force and technical assistance to support the HNP.

Mandate

The MSS is to:

• provide operational support to the HNP, including building its capacity through the planning and conduct of joint security support operations, as it works to counter gangs and improve security conditions in Haiti;
• provide support to the HNP for the provision of security for critical infrastructure sites and transit locations;
• support the HNP to help ensure unhindered and safe access to humanitarian aid for the population receiving assistance.

The Council authorized the Member States participating in the MSS to take all necessary measures to fulfil its mandate, strictly adhering to all international law, including international human rights law and accounting for child protection and the protection of other vulnerable groups.

Not a UN mission

The MSS represents a different form of multinational security assistance: it is designed for a security context that cannot be addressed through 51³Ô¹Ï peacekeeping. UN support to the MSS will be within the limits set in Resolution 2699 (2023) and in strict compliance with 51³Ô¹Ï rules and regulations, including its Human Rights Due Diligence Policy.

The MSS is led by Kenya, which will work alongside other countries, including from the region, that have pledged to contribute uniformed personnel.

The MSS, UN entities and other humanitarian organizations in Haiti carry distinct and separate mandates, but they will all need to cooperate and coordinate their work. For example, the UN political mission in Haiti, BINUH, focuses on facilitating inter-Haitian dialogue and advancing the political process towards the restoration of democratic institutions, and will remain separate from the MSS.

Funding

The MSS is funded entirely through voluntary contributions and support from individual Member States and regional organizations.

Safeguard measures

In authorizing the MSS, the Council included safeguards to prevent or deal with potential abuse or misconduct, including requesting Member States taking part in the mission to hold perpetrators accountable.

The Council also requested participating Member States to include dedicated expertise in anti-gang operations, community-oriented policing, children and women¡¯s protection, and preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence in a victim-centred manner.

The Council also called on the MSS to establish an oversight mechanism to prevent human rights violations or abuses, in particular sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as to ensure that the planning and conduct of operations during deployment will be in accordance with applicable international law.