The U.S. government said it will provide “a significant number” of mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles to Haiti.
The United States will give Haiti an additional $60 million in humanitarian aid and security assets to help quell gang violence in the crisis-hit nation, the U.S. envoy to the United Nations said on Monday.
The latest aid package, announced by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield during her visit to Haiti, brings the total U.S. humanitarian support for the Caribbean country to $165 million this year.
Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said the aid package will fill gaps in nutrition, food security, and shelter; improve water and sanitation services; and provide Haitians with cash to buy essential commodities.
The U.S. government, through the Department of Defense, will also provide “a significant number” of mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles to the multinational security support mission to Haiti.
Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said the State Department was planning to procure additional armored vehicles to help mission personnel in supporting the Haitian police to counter gang violence.
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The United States has sent 16 armored personnel carriers to Haiti this year as part of a $200 million investment to build the capacity of Haitian police to counter criminal gangs and improve security.
“The U.S. government continues to stand with the people of Haiti,” Ms. Thomas-Greenfield stated.
Haiti has been grappling with a severe political, humanitarian, and security crisis following the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in 2021.
In October 2023, the UN Security Council authorized the deployment of a multinational security support mission, led by Kenya, to help Haitian police tackle gang violence. Kenya deployed its first 400 police officers to Haiti last month.
“Clashes between gangs and the Haitian National Police have created a pervasive environment of fear, restricting freedom of movement and access to basic services,” the agency stated.
The report stated that 2,500 Haitians, including 82 children, have been killed or injured due to gang violence in the first quarter of 2024. Nearly half of Haiti’s 11.7 million residents are suffering from acute hunger.
Haiti now holds the highest number of displacements due to crime-related violence, with 578,074 internal displacements reported this year. Hundreds of schools in Haiti have closed due to the ongoing violence.
The UN has called for the multinational security support mission in Haiti to assist the local police and improve security “under conditions that comply with international human rights norms and standards.”
