UNITED NATIONS — The United States has abruptly suspended funding for a beleaguered United Nations-backed security mission in Haiti, officials announced Tuesday, dealing a critical blow to international efforts to curb rampant gang violence that has pushed the Caribbean nation to the brink of state collapse.
The U.S., previously the mission’s largest donor, had pledged $15 million to the trust fund supporting the Kenyan-led multinational force, which deployed last year to assist Haiti’s overwhelmed police. According to U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric, only $1.7 million of that commitment had been disbursed before the freeze, leaving $13.3 million in limbo. Dujarric warned the decision would have an “immediate impact” on operations, imperiling a mission already hobbled by funding shortfalls and delayed troop deployments.
Funding Cut Sparks Operational Crisis
The freeze follows a sweeping halt on foreign aid imposed by President Donald Trump, part of a broader austerity push that has triggered mass layoffs at U.S. aid agencies and paralyzed global development programs. While Secretary of State Marco Rubio introduced a waiver exempting “life-saving” initiatives, confusion over eligibility and fears of permanent aid cuts have left international partners scrambling to adjust.
The Kenyan-led mission, authorized by the U.N. Security Council in 2023, was envisioned as a stopgap to help Haiti’s under-resourced police reclaim control of Port-au-Prince, where gangs now dominate 80% of the capital. But the force has struggled to meet its targets, with only 600 Kenyan officers and 70 newly arrived Salvadoran soldiers currently deployed—far below the initial goal of 2,500 personnel.
“This is a gut punch to Haiti’s survival,” said Pierre Espérance, director of Haiti’s National Human Rights Defense Network. “The U.S. is abandoning us as gangs tighten their grip.”
Broader Impact of Trump’s Aid Freeze
Trump’s foreign aid suspension, framed by the administration as a cost-cutting measure, has sent shockwaves through global humanitarian efforts. Programs addressing famine, refugee crises, and disease outbreaks face abrupt termination, while partner nations grapple with uncertainty.
“The waiver for life-saving aid is too vague,” said a senior European diplomat, speaking anonymously to discuss sensitive negotiations. “Without clarity, projects are stalling, and people will die.”
In Haiti, the freeze exacerbates a dire security vacuum. The country’s National Police force, which the U.S. has supported with millions in funding in recent years, fields just 4,000 active officers for a population of 11 million—a ratio one U.N. official called “laughably insufficient.”
Mission Leaders Scramble Amid Uncertainty
Officials overseeing the Kenyan mission appeared blindsided by the U.S. decision. Mission spokesman Jack Mbaka declined to comment when reached by The New York Times, while Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille issued a terse statement urging “swift resolution” to the funding crisis.
The freeze also casts doubt on discussions to transition the mission into a formal U.N. peacekeeping operation—a move proponents argue would unlock broader resources. Critics, however, note the U.N.’s checkered history in Haiti, including a 13-year stabilization effort marred by sexual abuse scandals and a cholera outbreak that killed over 10,000 people.
Regional Forces Press On Despite Setbacks
The Salvadoran military unit that arrived Monday joins forces from Jamaica, Guatemala, and Kenya already on the ground. El Salvador’s involvement, under President Nayib Bukele’s controversial “iron fist” security model, has drawn skepticism from human rights advocates who warn against replicating his mass incarceration tactics in Haiti.
“Bukele’s approach violates due process at home. Exporting it to Haiti risks further chaos,” said Juan Pappier, senior Americas researcher at Human Rights Watch.
As aid groups brace for escalating violence, Haitian civilians expressed despair. “We’re trapped between gangs and empty promises,” said Marie-Lucie Jean, a Port-au-Prince schoolteacher. “The world watches, but no one acts.”
