Haiti on the Brink: UN Warns of Near-Total State Collapse Amid Escalating Gang Control and Brutal Violence
The United Nations has issued increasingly urgent warnings, painting a grim picture of Haiti's rapid descent into chaos. Relentless and brutal actions by criminal gangs have led to a severe and accelerating erosion of state authority, pushing the Caribbean nation to the brink of total collapse and creating a humanitarian catastrophe that impacts virtually every aspect of life.
The Unravelling of State Control
UN officials, including Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča, recently briefed the Security Council on the dire situation. Gangs now reportedly control an astonishing 90% of Port-au-Prince, the capital. This surge in criminal dominance has effectively paralyzed the city, cutting it off from the world due to the suspension of international commercial flights.
Alarmingly, gang influence is not confined to the capital; it's rapidly expanding into previously peaceful regions like the Artibonite and Centre departments, further diminishing the state's already fragile presence. The gangs are systematically targeting and ransacking police stations and government infrastructure, deliberately dismantling any remaining vestiges of law and order. Ghada Fathi Waly, Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), stressed that "As gang control expands, the state's capacity to govern is rapidly shrinking, with social, economic and security implications," disrupting legal commerce and exacerbating humanitarian needs.
A Catastrophic Humanitarian Toll
The consequences of this unchecked violence are horrific:
Soaring Homicides: The UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) recorded 4,026 intentional homicides in 2025 alone, a 24% increase from the previous year. In 2024, over 5,600 lives were lost to gang violence.
Record Displacement: An unprecedented 1.3 million people are now internally displaced as of June 11, 2025 – a staggering 24% rise since December 2024, marking the highest figure ever recorded. Families are fleeing to overcrowded, unsanitary spontaneous sites, stretching resources to breaking point.
Weaponized Sexual Violence: There's a deeply disturbing rise in sexual violence perpetrated by gangs, used "deliberately and systematically to assert dominance and punish communities." BINUH documented 364 incidents involving 378 survivors in just March and April 2025.
Child Vulnerability: Children are disproportionately affected, often recruited by armed gangs, and were victims of widespread abuses in 2024, primarily by the "Viv Ansamn" gang coalition.
Catastrophic Hunger: The humanitarian crisis is dire, with approximately 5.7 million people facing severe food insecurity. Over 8,400 are experiencing "catastrophic hunger" (IPC Phase 5), teetering on the brink of starvation.
Systemic Collapse: Health systems are failing, hospitals are under attack, and diseases are spreading in overcrowded camps. Over 1,600 schools are closed, denying more than 243,000 children their education.
Vigilante Rise & Arms Flood: Amid the state's inability to protect, "vigilante" groups are emerging. While some aim to protect, many operate outside the law, sometimes even colluding with gangs, further fueling the demand for illicit firearms and military-grade weapons. The use of drone technology by both sides adds another complex layer to the conflict.
UN's Plea for Global Intervention
While the UN Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) continues its advisory role on governance and human rights, its work is severely hampered by the escalating insecurity. The Security Council's authorized non-UN Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission to aid the Haitian National Police (HNP) remains critically underfunded, understaffed, and underequipped (with only about 991 officers deployed out of a planned 2,500).
Senior UN officials are issuing an urgent plea for swift and significantly increased international action to prevent the total collapse of the Haitian state. They warn that the longer the delay, the higher the cost and complexity of any future intervention. The Security Council is currently deliberating the renewal of BINUH's mandate in July 2025, amid desperate calls for a comprehensive strategy to restore stability and save Haiti from further descent into an abyss.
