Gang violence has caused mass suffering in Haiti. In the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince, gangs control 90% of neighborhoods. In June 2025, the UN reported that gang violence had displaced a record 1.3 million people in Haiti, a 24 percent increase from December 2024.
The violence escalated in 2021 after the assasination of President Jovenel Moïse. As of March 2025, the violence has spread to areas previously unaffected by it, such as the Artibonite and Centre Departments where 92,000 and 147,000 people were displaced respectively.
International peacekeeping efforts have not managed to contain the crisis. In March 2024, the Biden administration put forward 10-year plan to promote stability in Haiti. However, experts have said that the US response remains insufficient, calling for more US cooperation with Haitian authorities to secure the country’s ports and borders and limit the flow of munitions to the gangs.
On August 7, a businessman named Laurent Saint-Cyr became the head of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) tasked with restoring order. Saint-Cyr called for action, saying, “We must restore state authority.” He added that the present challenges were linked to insecurity, but also to “a lack of vision and our irresponsibility.”
Saint-Cyr says he aims to: restore constitutional order; reconcile state and nation; and safeguard Haiti’s interests. He stressed eliminating gangs and fostering hope among Haitians who remain in the country, Haitian Times reported.
In April, the CPT signed the ‘Political Accord for a Peaceful and Orderly Transition,’ which outlines steps to a smooth transition toward restoring democracy and stability. A document outlining the agreement’s key points stated that the primary focus was to “quell the ongoing gang violence and turmoil, safeguard national sovereignty and foster a consensus-based national solution.”
However, the CPT has made limited progress, with key neighborhoods still under gang control, and no major national dialogue or transitional justice. On top of this, the CPT has also faced issues with its credibility due to corruption allegations. It was formed in April 2024, however, by the end of that year, three of its members had been accused of corruption, which they denied.
Saint-Cyr is meant to be the final head of the CPT before it fulfills its duty of holding a presidential election on February 7, 2026. Saint-Cyr and the council are then expected to hand off power to the election’s victor, Al Jazeera reported.
In September 2024, Peace News Network (PNN) published an article about how Haiti remains insecure despite international peace efforts. Louis-Henri Mars, the executive director of Lakou Lapè, said that a key driver of violence is the lack of a clear pathway out of organized crime for gang members. Without ways for their members to reintegrate into society, he argued, the gangs will continue to violently resist state control and international intervention.
He also pointed to Haiti’s porous border with the Dominican Republic, which he said allows weapons to flow into the country. To achieve long-term security, he said, Haiti needs to address the root causes of insecurity and instability. To read the full article, click here.
Keywords: Haiti, gang violence, leader, peace, peacebuilding, conflict, conflict resolution
Tara Abhasakun
Tara Abhasakun is Peace News Network (PNN)'s managing editor. She is journalist based in Christchurch, New Zealand, and formerly in Bangkok, Thailand. She has reported on a range of human rights issues involving youth protests in Thailand, as well as arts and culture. Tara's work has appeared in several outlets, including Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.
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