UN Approves New ‘Gang Suppression Force’ to Combat Violence in Haiti

The U.N. Security Council (UNSC) voted Tuesday to authorize a new Gang Suppression Force (GSF) to address the escalating gang violence in Haiti.

The resolution, co-sponsored by the United States and Panama, passed 12-0, with abstentions from China, Russia, and Pakistan, according to a U.N. press release.

#BREAKING
Security Council ADOPTS resolution authorizing the transition of the multinational security support mission in #Haiti into a “Gang Suppression Force” for an initial period of 12 months; also calls for establishing a UN Support Office.

In Favor: 12
Against: 0
Abstain: 3 pic.twitter.com/hxZxOrtPNl

— UN News (@UN_News_Centre) September 30, 2025

The new force will replace the Kenya-led Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, an international police and military operation approved by the UNSC in October 2023 to help the Haitian government restore law and order amid escalating gang violence.

The U.N. said the change was necessary as the MSS faced chronic underfunding, insufficient personnel, and limited operational capacity, making it difficult to contain gangs that now control large parts of the capital, Port-au-Prince.

The GSF will include up to 5,550 personnel, significantly larger than the 1,000 officers deployed under the MSS mission.

Under a 12-month mandate, the GSF will operate alongside the Haitian National Police and armed forces, conducting “intelligence-led operations to neutralize gangs, secure critical infrastructure, and support humanitarian access,” according to the U.N.

It remains unclear when the GSF will be deployed or which countries will contribute the additional police and military personnel.

U.S. Ambassador Mike Waltz said the vote “offers Haiti hope,” adding that gangs had “raped, pillaged, murdered and terrorized the Haitian population.”

Gang violence has escalated since the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. To date, armed groups now control roughly 90% of Port-au-Prince. More than 5,500 people were killed in 2024, and nearly 1.3 million have been displaced, according to U.N. figures.