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3mo ago

U.S. Halts Funding for UN-Backed Security Mission in Haiti

The freeze on $13.3 million in aid threatens efforts to combat escalating gang violence in Port-au-Prince.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (not pictured) meet at the White House in Washington, U.S., February 4, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
The Kenya-led force is already underfunded, with only 800 of its planned 2,500 personnel currently deployed

Overview

  • The United States has frozen $13.3 million of its pledged $15 million contribution to a UN-backed multinational security mission in Haiti, led by Kenyan police.
  • The funding halt is part of President Donald Trump’s broader foreign aid freeze, which has disrupted global aid programs and led to widespread layoffs at USAID.
  • Gang violence in Haiti has reached critical levels, with 85% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, under gang control and over 5,600 deaths reported last year.
  • The mission, already underfunded and understaffed, currently has fewer than 800 of the planned 2,500 personnel deployed, raising concerns about its effectiveness.
  • UN officials warn that without additional support, gangs could overrun the capital, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis that has displaced over one million Haitians.